There's Nothing Sweeter
by tlyxor1
Summary: When Gwen anticipated her summer, it was not with the threat of danger at every turn. Divine parentage allowed for nothing less, however, and she'd always been the adaptable sort. A stolen lightning bolt, and a musician named Lee weren't in the cards, but that didn't change the fact there was nothing sweeter than summertime. AU. Fem!Harry.
1. Chapter 1

**There's Nothing Sweeter**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Summary:** There's nothing sweeter than summertime, even when it involves Camp Halfblood, a plot to destroy Olympus, and a handsome musician named Lee. AU.

**Rating:** M for language, mild violence, mild adult themes and references to character death.

**Author:** tlyxor1.

**There's Nothing Sweeter**

**Chapter One **

Gwen Potter could count on two hands the moments in her life where the world - or her perception of it - shifted, when everything had changed and where life, as Gwen knew it, would never be the same again. That cold night on a hut in the ocean, that first journey on the Hogwarts Express, when she woke up after she and Neville's encounter with the Voldemort possessed Professor Quirrell. There were more instances, of course, but the one thing they all had in common was that they'd all irrevocably changed her life - or maybe they had all just changed Gwen herself - but she thought this occasion, seated in the headmaster's office, had to take the cake.

At fourteen years of age, there were a lot of things she knew about life. It sucked, it was unfair, it went on. She was a pragmatic girl in a world of magic, she was inordinately cynical and generally always saw the negative side of things, but as her worldview tilted on it's axis all over again, she wondered what blow would be next. Her parents didn't know their own damn names, she'd made herself an enemy in Voldemort and his obsessive servants, Professor Snape was a disgusting bastard and Gwen was ready to punch the lights out of all three of her living - and questionably sane - relatives.

"So, due to some pranks gone wrong, Zeus and my father cohabited the same body during the month of my conception and therefore, I have two fathers, one of which is actually a Greek God?" She clarified. In a world of magic, it wasn't a difficult concept to believe, but for fuck's sake, why was this her life?

Dumbledore nodded, genial smile on his face, elbows perched on the edge of his desk, hands clasped together, eyes twinkling in that irritating way of his. "Precisely right, Gwyneth."

"So why am I only finding out now?" She queried. Her, by now legendary, temper broiled beneath the surface of glaze coloured eyes and an artfully blank expression, but the headmaster was unfazed.

"Your mortal parents put blocks on your demigod powers to keep you safe," Dumbledore answered lightly, almost as though he spoke of the weather, "They broke on your thirteenth birthday."

Gwen blinked once, shook her head and didn't bother pointing out that her thirteenth birthday was over a year and nine months ago, never mind the fact that she was basically a siren call to any monsters hungering for some demigod munchies in that time.

Instead, she listened silently as Dumbledore outlined what she would face now, what options she had and such things. Then she accepted the dual citizenship papers and the two passports he handed her along with a variety of other such identification papers that would allow her entry into the Americas, got to her feet and exited the office with a tired sigh.

It seemed that once again, peace had flitted just out of her reach when she longed for it most. Gwen had actually been looking forward to a mundane summer away from her magical problems, away from the reality that Voldemort had just been resurrected a week ago, but evidently, the powers that be liked to mess with her life far too much to grant Gwen even _that_ respite.

She scoffed to herself, not at all surprised. "Fucking typical."

With a groan, she reached Gryffindor Tower, gave the password and trotted up the spiralling staircase to her blessedly empty dormitory. She began to pack her things, and it was exactly the moment she'd shouldered her magical satchel, in which resided every one of her worldly possessions, that Gwen disappeared in a swirl of golden mist, to reappear beneath a golden sunrise. She was in an alley, hot and dry and clearly _no_ longer in Britain. She grumbled to herself, turned to the mouth of the alley and began to walk. She made it onto the main street, walked until she found a news stand and sighed as soon as her currently verdant gaze rested on the headline of the New York Times.

At least it answered the question of where she was but damn, some notice would have been nice.

Now, it was simply a matter of finding her way to Camp Halfblood.

She shrugged to herself - the streets were as deserted as they'd get for New York - and raised her wand at the curb. A crack wrenched the air, a vivid green bus appeared in front of her and Gwen climbed on with a satisfied smirk.

Let it never be said that Gwyneth Hyacinth Potter was not resourceful.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus-"

"Hello," she interrupted, "Do you take galleons?"

The attendant nodded, Gwen dropped one of the golden coins into his hand and requested, "Do you know where Camp Halfblood is, by any chance?"

"Sure do," the attendant confirmed, "You're stop number five."

Gwen nodded her acknowledgement, settled in an available seat and impatiently waited out the uncomfortable ride, eyes closed to the death-defying stunts the bus was surely pulling to avoid foot traffic and such _inconveniences_. She disembarked at her stop with a relieved sigh, looked around and wondered where she ought to go from there. She was at the base of a hill with an enormous tree at it's peak, surrounded by strawberry fields and no traffic in sight.

"If I were a secret summer camp for demigod children, where would I hide?"

"Over the hills and far away."

Gwen turned to find a tall, broad shouldered teenaged boy behind her, with golden, windswept hair and eyes that glimmered like the sun on the water. His skin was tanned from constant exposure to sunlight, his smile was bright and he carried the strap of a duffel bag over his shoulder and a guitar at his back, and if Gwen was any other girl, she might have swooned.

The stranger had been on the Knight Bus when she'd boarded it, but other than a cursory glance, Gwen had paid him no heed. Now she offered him a lopsided curl to her lips that might have passed for a smile, but happiness was hard to muster and she was really more interested in who the hell this bloke was and why the hell he was talking to her.

"And you are?"

The stranger offered his hand to shake and Gwen accepted it in her own. His fingertips were callused, the fingers themselves long and slender. His grip was firm, and dry, and for first impressions, the bloke's handshake made a good one.

"Leighton Fletcher, son of Apollo, though I go by lee. You are?"

"Gwen," she answered simply. "So where is this elusive summer camp?"

"The pine tree on top of that hill over there marks the camp's borders," he answered. She appreciated the fact he didn't pry. "You mind if I walk with you?"

"Lead the way."

The pair walked side by side up the hill and by the time they'd reached the peak, Gwen was grateful for a number of things, though mostly her well worn, dragon hide, special order combat boots. There was also the fact that she'd opted to maintain an exercise regime that she constantly changed, determined to have her body in peak physical condition until a time in which the threat to her health and wellbeing was nullified, but as they crossed the borders and Gwen took in her first sight of Camp Halfblood, that was the last thing on her mind.

"It's really something, isn't it?"

Gwen could only nod, struck speechless. She could remember feeling the same thing at her first sight of Hogwarts, but where Hogwarts was a medieval marvel, Camp Halfblood looked as though it had just walked directly out of the Greek Empire. Glistening white marble structures gleamed in the summer sun, strawberry fields met the Atlantic Coast and among it all, their dwelt demigods and nymphs, satyrs, naiads, all bursting with a liveliness that Gwen couldn't fathom.

"Come on," Lee gestured her forward and Gwen acquiesced, with no real idea of what else she should do, "I'll take you to Mr D and Chiron. mr D is the camp coordinator - word of advice: don't piss him off - and Chiron is the activities director. They'll be able to house you in the Hermes Cabin, at least until you're claimed."

"Right," she acknowledged, as Lee came to a stop by the steps that led to a big blue house with a wrap around verandah, on which two older men were in the midst of what looked to be a very heated game of Pinochle. "Thanks for your help."

"Not a problem," Lee answered, hoisting the straps of his guitar case and duffel bag higher on his shoulders, "I'll see you around, Gwen."

Gwen nodded her acknowledgement, walked up the porch steps and came to a halt beside the two men and their heated game of cards. She was probably not dressed appropriately for the occasion, combat boots, skintight jeans and a shirt that ironically read '_Even heroes have the right to dream_', but Gwen had never cared much for formalities and now was no exception. Therefore, rather than dwell on her attire, she instead took the opportunity to scrutinise the two camp organisers while they were otherwise preoccupied.

The first, a short, pale faced man with hair as dark as the darkest night, with bloodshot eyes the unsettling colour of purple - like grapes, she observed. He was clad in a yellow Hawaiian print shirt, cotton shorts and velcro sandals, but his skin was pale and blotchy. It gave off the impression that he didn't receive much sunlight - or was ridiculously hungover after an all night bender -, and as far as first impressions went, Gwen wondered why they let the bloke near children.

The second was older, with greying hair and kind eyes, but he was restricted to a wheelchair and again, she wondered about the bloke's involvement with a summer camp for adolescent demigods. He spared her a smile though, and offered her a seat at the card table, and Gwen supposed his genial temperament won over most of the kids here well enough.

"You are Gwen Potter, are you not? I was told to expect you, courtesy of your headmaster. My name is Chiron, across from me is Mr D and as you are no doubt aware, this is Camp Halfblood."

"Indeed," she acknowledged, as a mirthless smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "Thank you for having me, I suppose."

"We're happy to, Gwen," Chiron answered.

Mr D scoffed his protest. "Speak for yourself, horse. Another bloody brat to deal with does _not_ a happy Dionysus make."

Gwen blinked, bit her tongue to smother her instinctive retort and instead turned to Chiron, mildly curious. She'd seen a centaur before, but she'd never met an _immortal_ one. Or a god, for that matter, but as things went, Mr D wasn't particularly leaving a positive impression of Gwen's godly relations and if she knew her Greek mythology right, she was looking at the legendary trainer of heroes.

"I'll show you around camp then, shall I?"

Chiron completely ignored Mr D, and Gwen watched, quite curious, as Chiron lifted himself out of the wheelchair. Except when a human would have been stood at his full height, more of the trainer appeared, until he stood tall and proud, a half horse, half man, with a chestnut coat and bizarrely, a button down shirt.

"Does that get uncomfortable?"

"That it does," Chiron answered, "But alas, some appearances must be upheld, for security's sake, you understand?" Gwen nodded, and Chiron headed for the stairs. "Come, now, I have a tour to give, do I not?"

**Author's Note:** I feel like this is somewhat better than my first go round at a PJO/HP crossover, but that's generally how it goes. Thanks for reading, leave a review, share your thoughts. Until next time, -t.


	2. Chapter 2

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I own neither 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Two:**

After an uninteresting, extensive tour of the Camp Halfblood grounds, Gwen was unceremoniously situated in the Hermes cabin, allocated a two by four foot space of floor that had probably seen better days and afterwards, informed of what was expected of her as a temporary occupant of the Hermes Cabin.

"We lie, we prank, we steal things. Easy enough?"

"Like pie."

An hour later, Gwen was sprawled out across a marble bench, eyes on the sky and her thoughts on all that she'd learned since she'd woken up that morning. The Olympic Pantheon existed, she was somehow the daughter of James Potter _and_ Zeus, she was in a camp for demigod children, she was a hero in more ways than one and Gwen wasn't even sure if she _remembered_ what a normal life was like.

"See anything interesting up there?"

Gwen looked at Lee Fletcher, tall and handsome and swoon worthy, shrugged and sat up. The son of Apollo settled in the space she'd vacated, cast a fond eye across the camp and turned back to Gwen, a smile on his face.

"Did you settle in alright?"

"Aside from being indoctrinated into the faith of the born-again kleptomaniacs? I settled in just fine."

"That's good, I'm glad," Lee acknowledged, "I saw Chiron giving you a tour earlier. Do you want the _real_ tour now?"

"Oh, thank fuck, I thought this place was actually _that_ boring."

Lee led her to all of the _fun_ places, like the pot circle on the roof of the Demeter cabin, and the hook up place behind the cabin of Aphrodite. There was the skinny dipping pool in the woods, and the poop pile, which was actually called Zeus' Fist to anyone not ballsy enough to _desecrate_ a divine monument, if only in name. There was the illicit electronics room beneath the Hephaestus cabin, and the prohibited stash of alcohol beneath the Dionysus cabin porch.

"It almost seems like… sacrilege," Gwen commented, "It's excellent."

"Glad you think so," Lee answered, "Caster and Pollux would have had to alter your memory, otherwise. Anyway, there's a stash of porn beneath the Artemus cabin porch-"

"How ironic," Gwen interjected glibly.

"-and the Hermes cabin has accumulated this absolutely _ridiculous_ stash of cash, stolen goods and other such bits and pieces, purely for the purpose of purchasing _more_ prohibited things."

"Naturally."

"So what do you think?"

"I think I'll like it here."

With a pleased grin, Lee led Gwen to the dining pavilion, handed her over to the Stoll twins, Connor and Travis, promised he'd see her later and retreated to the Apollo table, where he was at once accosted by his brothers and sister.

"How old are you?" Gwen queried, squeezed between the twins after they'd each made offerings to the gods.

"We're fifteen," Travis replied, "There's a few of us our age at camp, actually. Katie Gardener, from Demeter-"

"Travis only knows that because he has a crush on her," Connor interjected.

"-and Michael yew from Apollo. There's Clarisse, who is _nearly _sixteen, Caster and Pollux are _already_ sixteen, Luke's nineteen. Chuck Beckendorf is seventeen, so is Silena Beauregard. How old are you?"

"I don't know half those names," Gwen informed them blankly, "And I'm fifteen in July."

"And what are your thoughts on demigods, and what have you?"

In truth, Gwen hadn't had much time to form an opinion on her newfound status, but as Connor and Travis eyed her, expectant, Gwen made an attempt to genuinely consider her feelings on the matter. She was angry, though that was somewhat for the fact that she'd not known about this aspect of her heritage, but Gwen was also unimpressed by her divine father's absence in her life thus far. Where was he when her mortal parents had been tortured into madness, or when the Dursleys' abuse was at its worst? Gwen didn't have answers to those questions, but she'd be damned if she didn't get some.

"It was a surprise, I suppose," she answered, "I kind of resent the fact I've only found out today. It somewhat stings, as well. I could have used a parent in my life, on occasion."

"Shitty home life, then?" Connor queried, "That bites, shorty."

Gwen shrugged, speared a piece of chicken on her fork and chewed slowly. She didn't really have anything else to say on the topic, so the subject changed to other things, like music, and television programs, and favourite pastimes, until finally, the dinner dishes were cleared away, and Mr D got to his feet. he rattled off a series of notifications, as well as an insincere welcome to Gwen, before they were dismissed for the campfires.

"Does this happen every night?" Gwen queried, "Because I'm afraid I can't bullshit that much cheer in one week."

"Yes," Connor answered, "But its not mandatory - or supervised. Most of us use the opportunity for stargazing on the Demeter Cabin roof."

"Is that what they're calling it now?" Gwen snarked.

Connor gave her a wink and tapped the side of his nose, and they continued on their way to the fire pit between the cabins. Hestia, who tended the fire there, was gone, but the fire crackled merrily all the same and through the flames, she could see Lee tuning the strings of a battered acoustic guitar.

"The sons of Apollo take turns performing," Travis informed Gwen, "Lee, Mick and Will, I mean. Austen's kind of shy, and Kayla's too young, but damn, Fletcher's got some mean guitar skills. You're in for a treat, Shorty."

"Is that a man crush I hear?" Gwen teased. Travis elbowed her in the side, light enough to be harmless, but with just enough pressure to make Gwen squirm. She laughed, kicked her feet into Connor's lap and marvelled at just how comfortable she'd become in their company. They reminded her of the Weasley twins, fun and cheerful and oh so mischievous, and she wondered how they'd be as beaters, or fighters, or pseudo older brothers whom, most of the time, Gwen couldn't stand but loved irrevocably anyway.

As everyone gathered around, even the belligerent Aries campers, Lee began to play his guitar and his voice soon followed, clear and sensual, like crushed velvet or caramel coated chocolate. It was delicious and warm and all good things, and Gwen listened, enraptured, as Lee performed Ron Pope songs almost better than the artist himself.

"If I ask him to marry me, do you think he'll say yes?"

"Why yes," Connor answered primly, "Yes I do."

"I think you just had your first religious experience, Shorty," Travis declared.

Gwen didn't bother denying it, though she was pretty sure what she and Blaise Zabini had gotten up to in Professor Snape's supply cupboard during the Yule Ball could be classed as one. She'd certainly seen stars, but Gwen was never one to kiss and tell - or _cum_ and tell, as the case may be - so she had no particular interest in enlightening the twins on _that_ experience.

"Check it out," Connor murmured, a while later, "Sil and Chuck have already bounced. Should we go?"

Gwen watched Lee's dexterous fingers, expertly shredding his guitar strings, and wondered what those fingers would be like against her skin. The thought made her shiver, and Gwen got to her feet, ready to leave before she did something undeniably stupid.

On the Demeter cabin roof, Gwen was unceremoniously introduced to Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite, and Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus, offered a seat and offered a blunt all within three minutes of her appearance on the grass covered roof, wedged between Connor and Travis. She accepted both the seat and the blunt, lit up and took a drag with the ease of long time practise, before she handed the joint to Travis, exhaled smoke into the star studded sky and smiled, content.

"So is your godly parent your mom or your dad?" Silena queried.

"My father," Gwen answered, "Why do you ask?"

Silena hummed curiously, eyes on the stars. "You're really pretty. I'd have pegged you for a daughter of Aphrodite, is all."

Gwen reached over and pressed a finger to Silna's cheek, satin soft and blemish free. Her blonde hair was aglow in the moonlight, her blue eyes were bright, and if Gwen was compared to the beauty of a daughter of Aphrodite, she had to be pretty indeed - even if Gwen didn't believe it herself.

"Thanks, blondie," she acknowledged, a confident smirk on her face that she didn't really feel, "I know I'm a babe."

"Modest, too," Connor quipped dryly. He handed the joint back to Gwen, who took another hit and laughed, shameless. She flipped her haphazard braid over her shoulder, leant back on her hands and curled her fingers into the grassy roof. She closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar scent of weed and hummed to herself, thoughtful.

"What is it?" Silena queried lazily. She was stretched out on the grass, her head in Chuck's lap as the son of Hephaestus took a hit from the joint they shared.

"A storm's coming," she answered, "I can feel it."

"Is that a euphemism?" Travis mumbled, confused, and Gwen threw her shoe at him, unimpressed. "Hey now! Violence against demigods, Travis Stoll says no."

"And you know what I say to that?" Gwen retorted, and gave him the finger. Travis adopted a mock wounded expression, pressed his hand to his heart and ignored the snickers coming from Connor, Chuck and Sil.

"How can you feel a storm coming?" Silena queried, "Camp Halfblood doesn't _get_ storms."

Gwen shrugged, accepted the last of the blunt and dropped the burning embers to the grass. "I've just always been able to. I don't know _how_ I can. I just do."

As she spoke, they were joined by Clarisse LaRue, daughter of Aries, and Michael yew, son of Apollo, who produced a bong from actually _nowhere_, packed the bowl with dried leaves and lit up, chattering with their friends all the while. Perhaps if she wasn't so stoned - seriously, the weed was strong - she might have felt excluded, but as it was, Gwen only watched with mild curiosity, bemused by these very different people getting along as well as they did.

"We'd better go, Shorty," Connor sighed, "Don't want anyone to notice so many of us gone."

"Sure," Gwen agreed, and followed them down the rickety staircase alongside the Demeter cabin wall. They returned to the campfire, Gwen leant against Connor and listened, detached but enthralled, as Lee played his guitar. He'd stopped singing, but the campers still lingered, apparently content to roast marshmallows and talk before curfew fell. It was mostly the younger ones, but Luke Castellan was there, his thousand mile stare on the crackling flames.

"I'm buggered," she declared, "What's the time?"

"About nine," Travis answered.

"No wonder, it's about two in the morning in Britain," Gwen answered. She got to her feet and stretched. "I'm going to go to bed."

"Alright," Connor acknowledged, "If you get sick of the floor, you can always join me."

He waggled his eyebrows, gave a lascivious smile and let his hands wander to Gwen's waist.

"You're a pig," she laughed, and stepped out of his reach, "Good night."

"Night, Shorty," Connor and Travis chorused, and watched her leave.

In the Hermes Cabin, Gwen took the opportunity of momentary solitude to change into a pair of rainbow patterned pyjama shorts and a plain black tank top, deposited her dirty clothes in her Hogwarts laundry bag and wondered about where she could clean her clothes around here. With a shrug, Gwen told herself she'd worry about it in the morning, clambered into her Camp Halfblood provided sleeping bag and fell into Morpheus' waiting embrace, her last thought on what the coming days would bring. All Gwen knew was that it would be like nothing she had known before, but nevertheless, the witch couldn't deny that she was rather looking forward to trying something new.

**Author's Note:** I told myself to wait until Monday/Sunday to update, but apparently I can't help myself. I technically should be writing a History speech, or planning a Literature assignment, or pre-reading for my Human Ethics course, but meh, they're not as exciting as this.

Oh, also, don't do drugs. Or drink alcohol. Or, you know, have an orgasm in your Potions Professor's supply cupboard. Or else you'll get Chlamydia and die. You've been warned.

Thanks for reading, I hope you've enjoyed. To those who have, thanks for reviewing, favouriting, alerting, community-adding and what have you. it's all very much appreciated.

Until next time, -t.


	3. Chapter 3

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I own neither 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Three:**

True to Gwen's words, a storm raged over Camp Halfblood through the night, but in the morning, the sun shone, the ground was dry, and there was nothing to show for it but the presence of a new camper, infirmary bound and victorious against Pasiphae's son. Apparently he was just a kid, twelve or something, but then Gwen reminded herself of all the antics she and Neville had gotten up to before that age, and thought better of doubting the boy, whoever he was. After all, there was nothing like desperation and mortal peril to determine a person's strength and courage.

Whatever the case, Gwen had some far more interesting things to occupy her piss poor attention span than contemplating just how the newest camper killed the Minotaur. She'd woken at the arse crack of dawn for her usual morning run, but today, she'd opted to run along the soft sand on the beach that bordered camp, which made everything infinitely more difficult, and by the time she'd run three laps between the two mile markers, she was hot and sweaty and exhausted, her face flushed and throat parched. Regardless, she then proceeded with her usual Tai Chi routine, mentally thanked Su Lee for teaching it to Gwen, and returned to the Hermes cabin, ready for a shower and breakfast.

Over a continental breakfast of fruits, and yoghurt, and chocolate mousse and jam lathered pastries, Gwen bickered with Connor and Travis to her heart's content, was informed by Luke the plan for that day, and then instructed to eat up, because apparently she'd need the energy. And unsurprisingly, Luke was right.

Throughout the morning, Gwen had been passed through a series of activities, and the camp quickly learned a number of things about one of their newest campers.

1. Gwen was _fast_, though after a childhood of being habitually hunted by her ogre of a cousin and his brutish friends, that was nearly an inevitability. She couldn't out run the tree nymphs, or anything like that, but she could most certainly out run the fastest of the Hermes campers, much to Gwen's satisfaction.

2. Gwen did not like water. She loathed it, in fact, and only ever enjoyed it while in the shower, or during a thunderstorm. This was observed when, rather than try out canoeing, she absolutely _refused_ to step foot onto the dock, let alone into a '_flimsy piece of plastic'_.

3. Gwen had a disturbing appreciation for weaponry, no matter what form. She was most proficient with twin daggers (for an amateur, anyway), but if a person put a bow and arrow in her hand, or a sword, or a spear, or anything else sharp and pointy, Gwen would not hesitate to put her all into learning everything she could about handling it.

4. Gwen was competitive. Winning was her favourite pastime, and she would not hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve such an end, dirty tricks and all. This was observed when she kicked Luke Castellan in the shin to gain the upper hand in her introductory beatdown.

All in all, it had been a rather entertaining morning, and there was yet more to come, but before then, Gwen had a lunch of stuffed bread, and souvlaki, and Greek salad to look forward to, with a side of lemonade and good company.

Most of the conversation over lunch revolved around Percy Jackson, but as Gwen enthused about the climbing wall and riding the pegasus, Travis and Connor spent most of the meal teasing Gwen about her epic defeat by Clarisse in the wrestling arena.

"I should have groped her knockers," Gwen mused, "That would have surprised her well enough. Heh. I should remember that for next time."

There was a brief moment of uncertain silence, broken by Travis. "You are a depraved one, aren't you?"

Connor pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes. "I'm so damn proud."

Gwen shrugged, drained the last of her lemonade and answered, "I do try."

After she'd finished up her lunch, Gwen was called to the big blue house, where she was introduced to a blonde girl named Annabeth, informed her Greek lesson was cancelled for the day and was then invited to meet Percy Jackson, whom apparently had just woken up. Gwen wasn't really sure why she was taking Greek lessons, since she'd already learned it in her third year at Hogwarts, but she'd refused the offer to meet Percy Jackson, returned to the Hermes campers and then proceeded to reach the top of the (standard) climbing wall with a pleased grin and the question of when she could try the flame throwing one.

"Not for a while, Shorty," Connor answered, "You'll have to work your way up to that one."

Gwen blew a raspberry, thus stating her opinion on _that_ declaration. "Poo."

"Yeah, yeah, we all suck," Travis answered, "What'd Chiron want, anyway?"

"Just told me my Greek lessons were cancelled for the day." She tilted her head, somewhat confused. "Why do I have to take Greek lessons? I can already read, write and speak it fluently."

"You'll take an aptitude test," Connor answered, "Once you've proven you can do all of that, you won't have to take the classes."

"Goodie," Gwen acknowledged, "More time for fun things."

As she said this, Chiron walked by with a wide eyed kid with turquoise eyes and curly black hair. He looked flummoxed, and rather out of his depth, and Gwen supposed he was that Percy Jackson runt who'd killed Pasiphae's son without training.

"Wonder whose spawn _he_ is," Gwen mused.

"You don't even know who _your_ dad is," Travis deadpanned.

"I do so," Gwen protested, "I'm just not allowed to say until I've been claimed. So _suck on that_, mate."

"Oh, do tell," Connor insisted.

"Nice try, chap, but you're not getting a word from me."

Connor blew a raspberry, Gwen laughed, and she wondered what their next activity entailed.

Apparently, it was arts and crafts, but Gwen had always been abysmal at anything artistic, so she mainly just wound up lobbing chunks of clay into Connor's hair while Travis attempted to smother his laughter behind too many coughing fits to be at all believable.

"Gods, you're a menace," Connor exclaimed as they left the art studio, but the amused grin on his face belied his honest opinion, "Can't take you anywhere, Shorty."

"Please," she scoffed, "Now that you know me, you're life would suck without me. Coz we belong together, yeah, forever united here somehow, yeah."

"Oh Gods, shut up," Travis groaned, "You're not even singing it and that song _still_ sounds awful."

"You wound me, Travis," Gwen declared, hand to her heart, "Excuse me while I go hide in a corner and cry."

She pretended to storm off, but with their longer legs, Travis and Connor caught up with her easily enough, hoisted the girl between them and more or less dragged her back to the Hermes Cabin for their session of free time before dinner.

"You're both wankers," Gwen declared, deposited back on her feet in the doorway, "I hope you both eat shit and die."

They grinned as they followed her inside, but as Gwen flopped gracelessly onto Travis' bed, she noticed the new kid settled on the floor in a corner, silently fiddling with the spoils he'd received for his efforts the night before. Gwen contemplated approaching him, thought better of it - after all, she wasn't _nice_ - and instead opted to withdraw a bag of MnM's from her satchel to munch on until dinner.

"Care to share, Shorty?"

Gwen gave Connor a squinty-eyed glare. "Fuck off, Stoll. These babies are imported from the MnM's factory in London. They're _mine_."

"That's so bullshit," Travis laughed and Gwen's grin was entirely unabashed.

"Besides," Gwen continued, "Doubtless you two have nicked enough sweets from the camp shop for all of us, you heathens."

"Ah, you wound us with your baseless accusations," Connor exclaimed dramatically, swayed backwards and hit his head against the frame of someone's top bunk bed.. Gwen stared for a moment, absolutely uncomprehending, then laughed, loud and boisterous, and accompanied by Travis, who was nearly in hysterics. "Ow, motherfucker. That shit _hurt_."

"That's what you get, dumbass," Travis chortled, "Now go shower. You still have clay in your hair."

When Connor was gone, Travis turned to acknowledge the boy, whom on closer inspection, simply looked lost and alone. Gwen sympathised, really she did, but she'd never been good with the emotional things, or the people things, really, and Gwen didn't really have a clue of how to go about cheering him up.

With a shrug, she rolled onto the floor, approached the boy and offered her bag of MnM's. "Want some?"

The boy looked at the bag, and then at Gwen, and accepted a handful of the chocolate sweets with a smile that only widened at the sight of their blue shells. "It's my favourite colour."

"Really? Mine too. Can I sit?"

He nodded, shuffled over on his sleeping bag and watched as Gwen settled herself against the wall, legs shoved beneath someone's bed and hands rummaging through her bag of MnM's. She didn't speak, because she doubted Percy wanted to hear anything Gwen had to say, and Travis had fallen asleep, so the silence lingered until the remainder of the Hermes Cabin piled in, led by Luke in high spirits and what have you.

"Better sort yourselves out," Luke called over the din, "Dinner's in half an hour."

Gwen looked herself over and shrugged indifferently, heedless of the fact her brand new Camp Halfblood shirt was splattered with dried clay and whatever else. All the same though, she pulled her hair into a more presentable braid, reapplied some deodorant and chapstick, pulled on a pair of flip flops and brushed her teeth, eager for her dinner of peta, and musaka, and other such delicious things Hogwarts would never _dream_ of serving.

When she was ready, Gwen fell into the slowly forming line, directly in front of Percy, but behind everyone else. The boy smiled at her, but his eyes were sad, and Gwen figured his thoughts were still with his mother, who'd died protecting him. Luke led the way out of the cabin and to the dining pavilion, where Gwen helped herself to all the servings of food present, gave an offering of grapes and strawberries to Zeus and Hermes respectively, and settled back at the overcrowded table, once again wedged firmly between Connor and Travis.

"So what did you think of your first real day?" Luke queried, several seats down.

Gwen shrugged, a neutral expression on her face. Luke was nice enough, but he gave Gwen an unsettling feeling she couldn't name, like oil on her skin, and the discomforting sensation which told Gwen that Luke was a threat that she couldn't handle. "It was alright, thanks."

"I've organised your timetable with Chiron and Mr D," Luke continued, and handed over a folded square of paper.

She opened it up curiously, and scanned the contents within. It was, fortunately, in Ancient Greek. "Battle Magic?"

"For the magical campers," Luke clarified, "You can ask Alabaster about it."

Alabaster Torrington was a brown haired, green eyed son of Hecate, with a scowling disposition and an unapproachable demeanour. He lived in the Hermes cabin because Hecate didn't have one of her own, but he was a wizard, and apparently as the son of Hecate, the best in camp. In the two or so days she'd been there, Gwen had also learned that he was also an asshole, and Gwen wasn't particularly enthused about approaching him, but she supposed she'd have to sooner or later.

"Sucks to be you, Shorty," Connor laughed."

Gwen socked him in the arm for his trouble, finished up her dinner in silence and contemplated her timetable again. Aside from Battle Magic, her scheduled activities included archery and swordsmanship, hand to hand combat, the climbing wall, Ancient Greek, volleyball and scheduled free time, but as Mr D got to his feet, rattled off a series of notifications and then introduced Percy as 'peter Johnson', dismissed them all to the campfire and stalked off towards the big house, Gwen opted to put off concerning herself with her schedule until the following morning. After all, she and her new friends had some _stargazing _to look forward to.

**Author's Note:** Okay, really, I'll be easing off the stoner chapters after Chapter Four. I promise. That's when shit starts getting real, you know.

#dontdodrugs.

Reviews are love.

I was six years old in 2001. I have no memory of September 11th, because I lived in a third world country on the other side of the globe at the time, but I'll give my respect to the men and women who died that day, to the families who lost loved ones, to the friends and lovers who never got to say goodbye. Rest in peace to those heroes, and to the civilians, and I hope their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

-t.


	4. Chapter 4

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Four:**

At the campfire, Gwen watched, briefly, as Michael Yew, or Mick as Gwen had come to know him, tuned his guitar strings by ear. His expression was light, an easy going smile on his face as he chatted with one of his brothers and All the while, his fingers expertly twisted the tuning pegs of his Gibson acoustic, and strummed it's strings, and Gwen wished she could be even _minutely_ as talented as the children of Apollo. But then Lee Fletcher settled beside her, and the Stoll twins skulked away, and Michael Yew's guitar hands were far from her mind.

"Will you be _stargazing_ tonight?" Lee queried, lazy smile on his face. The resemblance to his younger brother was uncanny, but there were differences, too, in the slope of their eyebrows, in the lopsided quirk to Lee's smile. Mick had a dimple in his chin, and Lee had a light dusting of freckles on the bridge of his nose. It was little things, but it was differentiation enough.

Gwen nodded without hesitation, that familiar thrill of excitement, and danger, and _rebellion_ coursing through her veins. It made her grin. "I wouldn't miss it."

"Awesome," Lee acknowledged, knelt back on his hands and watched his brother, that same easy smile on his face. "You'd never guess it, but Mickey never fails to get nervous about these things. He's more the brooding artist than the dramatic theatre student, you know?"

"I do now," Gwen answered, "Met Mick last night while we were _stargazing_. He seems an alright chap."

"He's pretty awesome," Lee agreed. "Not as awesome as I am though."

"Sure of that?" Gwen teased.

"Are you questioning my awesomeness?"

"Are you offended?"

"Why yes, yes I am." Lee had tried for an expression of supreme insult, but he instead somehow managed an expression of extreme constipation. Gwen snorted at the sight and laughed, and Lee, after hearing the sound, laughed too, a low, husky chuckle that sent delicious shivers right through her. All the while, Mick sang to a silent audience, his mildly husky tenor almost perfect for Angus Stone's 'Just a BOy'. He and Lee's younger brother, Austen, played the harmonica and Gwen sighed, wistful.

"What's up?" Lee queried.

"Nothing," she answered, accompanied by a flippant wave of her hand, "I just wish I was musically talented."

"You ever played an instrument?"

"Does the recorder count?"

"Gods, ever mention that creation of Tartarus to my face again, and I won't be held accountable for my actions."

Gwen let out a surprised laugh, not having expected a response like _that_ from the cabin seven counsellor, and she happily offered a high five, suitably impressed.

"In all seriousness though, yes, I made an attempt at the piano when I was younger. it was bad. Like dying hyena kind of bad."

He shrugged, apparently unfazed. "I guess music's not for everyone, but if you ever want to learn, I play the guitar, the piano and the cello. I'd be happy to teach you."

Gwen smiled her thanks, but had to decline. "With everything I'll already be learning this summer, I don't think I can handle another project on top of it all. I do appreciate the offer though."

Lee nodded his understanding, gave Gwen a mischievous grin and queried, "Shall we go _stargazing_ then?"

"That sounds like a plan, Mr Fletcher."

Lee led the way to the Demeter cabin roof, where Caster and Pollux had covetously claimed a vaporiser, where Silena was sprawled across the grass with Clarisse, tracing constellations in the sky, where Travis and Connor had produced a jumbo bag of Hershey's Kisses and where they all looked well and truly baked, despite the fact it had only been half an hour since Mick had started his performance. Gwen laughed at the sight, dropped onto the grass beside Silena and accepted the blunt from Lee when it was offered to her.

"When was the first time you smoked pot?"

Gwen glanced at Lee and answered, "Honestly? I was thirteen. Marijuana is part of our Potions kits and my friends and I were curious, so.."

"Badass," Travis commended. They fist bumped, Gwen grinned and tried to think of a time when she'd smiled so much, and eventually failed in the endeavour. Gwen had never been so happy in her life, and she wondered how long it would take for the other shoe to drop.

"Did you get caught?" Silena queried.

"No," Gwen replied, "Hogwarts has a lot of secrets."

"I've heard that," Lee acknowledged, "But then, a castle _that_ old has to have acquired _some_ form of sentience."

Gwen only hummed, not particularly interested in the turn their conversation had taken. The principles of magic was more Hermione Granger's field of expertise, Gwen would _always_ prefer the practical side of things, but as she rolled over onto her belly and kicked her feet into the air, Gwen pushed thoughts of Hermione out of her mind. The girl had turned her back on Neville, had chosen _Ron_ over _their best friend_ when he'd needed them most, and that, in Gwen's mind, was unforgivable.

"Dude, you're the only one interested in alive castles," Pollux said flatly, and Lee shrugged, unfazed. he took a drag of the blunt he'd rolled, blew the smoke into the sky and handed the joint to Gwen, another lazy smile on his face. He seemed to be always smiling, always happy, and Gwen wondered if he was perpetually stoned, or faking it, or if he was _actually that cheerful_. Either way, it was an ability Gwen didn't possess, and for that, she envied him.

She would always want what she couldn't have: parents, a place to call home, a bad ass vaporiser like the one being zealously guarded by the Dionysus twins. It was apparently just human nature, but it was a personality trait of hers the witch couldn't stand and thus, one she was _constantly_ aware of.

"Where's Chuck tonight?"

"Didn't feel like _stargazing_ tonight," Silena pouted, "Which is _so lame_."

"Poor Sil can't get her Beckendorf cuddles tonight," Clarisse mocked, and the boys present pretended to gag. Silena punched Clarisse in one of Aries' daughter's meaty arms, Gwen gave an uninhibited grin, all mirth and pearly teeth. Her glaze eyes glimmered like the stars in the sky, her laugh rang bubbly and free, and Gwen revelled in this moment, certain it wouldn't last.

In the morning, after her exercise regime and shower, Gwen dressed herself in a pair of leggings and another of her Camp Halfblood tank tops, fell into the Hermes procession and made idle chit chat with a bleary eyed Percy all the way to the Hermes table. She served her food, made her offerings and settled across the table from Alabaster Torrington, whom, unsurprisingly, made no acknowledgement of her presence in front of him, the wanker.

Gwen pondered over all the ways she should address him, because she doubted 'Oi, Wanker,' would go down well, but evidently her absentminded staring had done the trick, because halfway through his bowl of muesli, the son of Hecate looked up and plainly glared at Gwen, as though she were at fault for all of the problems in his life. Git.

"Can I help you?" He asked roughly, apparently not interested in maintaining even a semblance of politeness, but after having to put up with Draco Malfoy while 'dating' Blaise Zabini last year, Gwen could work with that.

"Yes," Gwen answered, and then proceeded to grill him for answers regarding battle magic a la Hermione Granger until breakfast had finally come to an end. She was pretty sure he'd never willingly approach her again afterwards, but as Gwen made her way to the combat arena for her first lesson in hand to hand combat, a smirk on her face and Clarisse by her side, Gwen could freely admit that she did not have a problem with that outcome in the slightest. In fact, it was more than she'd been hoping for.

"What's got you so pleased, Shorty?" Clarisse asked, "You look like the cat who ate the canary."

"Nothing," Gwen answered, falling into a basic Tai Chi routine to stretch out her muscles. "It's just always fun to rile people up. I think I have a brand new favourite target."

"Torrington? He could make your life miserable with that magic of his."

"Meh, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, he's an arse."

"Most of us are," Clarisse commented, "But yeah, Torrington is a particular brand of douchebag. Are you ready?"

Gwen nodded, and for the next hour, Clarisse mercilessly ran Gwen through a series of basic defensive formations that had Gwen's muscles aching, her heart racing and her limbs leaden. it was productive though, and Gwen promised herself to practise until they'd been ingrained into her muscle memory, regardless of how arduous the task would turn out to be.

"We'll be working on those defences for a week," Clarisse informed the British girl, "I want it to be second nature, okay? I know its tough, but I think you're good people, and if this can save your life, you bet your ass I'm going to be brutal."

"I know," Gwen answered, entirely confident, "And I appreciate it."

They walked towards the archery range, where Gwen caught sight of Lee, alone, methodically pull an arrow from his quiver, notch it on his bow, aim and release. It was all so fluid, without a moment's hesitation, and Gwen marvelled at the skill he displayed.

"I'd better go," Clarisse informed Gwen, "Chase is bringing the Jackson kid to the combat arena so I can kick his ass."

"Have fun," Gwen acknowledged, "And don't go easy on him. He doesn't need pity."

""Aye aye," Clarisse mock saluted and returned the way they'd come. Gwen watched her go for a moment, shrugged, and approached Lee with crunching footsteps. Might as well alert him of her presence, after all.

"Hello," she greeted, "How did archery with Percy go?"

Lee grimaced. "It was… pretty bad. I mean, damn, I didn't know someone could be…"

He shook his head and Gwen shrugged, not really bothered either way. Archery wasn't for everyone, after all, and Percy hadn't seemed particularly enthused about it over breakfast. Then again, that wasn't really saying much, since the only enthusiasm she'd seen in the runt was when he'd been offered some of her blue M 'n' M's the night before.

"Anyway," Lee shook himself, "Are you ready for some archery?"

"Sure," she agreed, accepted the bow he offered her and raised it the way Chiron had taught her the day before. Lee straightened her elbow and shifted her stance, but when he instructed Gwen to pull back on the string and hold it taut, Gwen was ready to start throwing punches. On top of her training session with Clarisse, and her exercise regime that morning - six mile run, 60 push ups, 60 sit ups, sixty pull ups and sixty squats - Lee's exercises to strengthen her archery muscles left her arms the consistency of jelly and what have you.

"I really hate you right now," she informed him bluntly. Lee had called a break for Gwen to rest her arm, and Gwen had used it to shamelessly guzzle down an entire bottle of water, but he'd beckoned her back to her borrowed bow and quiver, and Gwen couldn't help but be honest. Brutally so.

"If it will save your life, than hate me all you want," Lee answered, a grim kind of frown on his face. It was out of place there, and Gwen was oddly perturbed by its appearance. In the few days she'd known him, she'd not known him to look, or act, so serious.

"Yeah," Gwen acknowledged, mirthless tilt to her lips that wasn't a smile, "Clarisse said something similar."

With a weary groan, Gwen raised the bow and pulled back her arm, and tried to think up the right words to say what was on her mind. She couldn't though, because she'd never really spoken about the 'adventures' she'd gone on with Neville, the danger she'd found herself in, the ridiculous number of instances she'd found that her life was _that floes_ to ending. It had always just been, never spoken about, but always known, and how could she really express all of that in words? But then again, Gwen didn't think she _wanted_ to say all of that. She wanted to say _something_ though, but the words were lost to her, and as the conch shell sounded across the campgrounds, so too was the opportunity to do so.

**Author's Note:** Reviews are love. -t.


	5. Chapter 5

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either 'harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Five:**

"I don't see the relation to war in Capture the Flag. It's a bloody _game_," Gwen paused, and as though an afterthought, added, "And I don't mean that literally."

In front of her, Connor gave an indifferent shrug, pressed an old school helm over the witch's head and knocked on it roughly for good measure. The sound reverberated through her skull, and the witch grimaced her displeasure. Then she glowered and her gaze, presently a vibrant green, promised swift retribution. The son of Hermes, one of her new friends, was unfazed, and had the audacity to _laugh_ at her expression.

It had been a week since Gwen's arrival in Camp Halfblood and in that time, the witch had come to learn a number of things about herself. She was resilient, and determined, and her personal limits were as much psychological as they were physical. She'd not known exertion like what she'd experienced in the last five days, but she'd persevered through it all, she'd refused to give up, and in doing so, she'd inadvertently earned the respect of most of the campers present. She'd also not improved much, but apparently that came with time, which was not an assuring thought. At all.

Also during the week, she'd become firm friends with a fair few of her fellow campers, so unlike the conservative friends she'd made at Hogwarts. Then again, though, magical Britain, with its archaic expectations and what have you, was nothing like Camp Halfblood, so it was really no surprise that the inhabitants were completely different as well. Either way, it was a breath of fresh air that Gwen greatly appreciated, even if she couldn't say the same for much else about the place.

With Friday evening came the eagerly anticipated Capture the Flag, in which campers got the opportunity to freely attack each other, without fear of recrimination for their trouble. Gwen couldn't really see the point, but the others loved it and she'd constantly wondered why. She'd still not received a satisfactory answer, but that hadn't stopped the others from appropriately arming her with blunted weapons and bronze armour.

"The woods, free leave to steal and hurt people? I don't question it, Shorty."

Gwen conceded the point with a slight bow of her head, shifted the helm slightly and barely avoided the urge to pout.

"And why do I have to wear this ridiculous getup? What am I supposed to be, Xena the fucking Warrior Princess?"

"Well, if the shoe fits," Travis interjected glibly. He was rewarded with the metaphorical 'fuck you' in the form of Gwen's middle finger for his efforts.

"Hey, on the bright side, Percy looks as much like an idiot as you do."

"Connor, you're not helping, you moron," Silena chided and turned to Gwen, expression apologetic. "Sorry, Shorty, but until you can get your own armour, you're stuck with that. Don't sweat it though - we've all been there."

"That is not comforting!" Gwen called to Silena's retreating back, but Silena only laughed. She continued walking towards the red zone, wherever _that_ was and Gwen, who'd not been listening to Chiron call out the instructions, simply followed Connor and Travis. "What am I doing, anyway? I wasn't paying attention."

"Lesson one of warfare," Luke Castellan interjected, and Gwen rolled her eyes, entirely unimpressed by the older camper, "Always listen to your superiors."

"Does that include you?" She snarked. Luke's eyes flashed with something indiscernible, and Gwen resisted the reflex to take a step backwards, perturbed. She'd known the Hermes Counsellor was dangerous - they all were, in some form or another - but none of the campers had ever inspired fear - not in Gwen. Not until now.

Luke didn't say anything in reply, and simply continued on his way towards Annabeth. Gwen watched him go, hand curled warily around her wand. Luke had set off alarm bells in her had, and Gwen had learned to trust her instincts years ago. As such, she'd be on her guard, but why she had to was yet to be determined.

"Are you alright?" Travis asked, but his gaze was lowered, on the wand within her grasp. He looked distinctly troubled, and Gwen wondered if he'd seen what she had, but she didn't ask.

"Yes." She strained a smile. "Let's just go. Capture the Flag awaits."

The trio approached Annabeth, the Athena cabin leader, who put them on defence, sent them on their way and turned to Percy, whom indeed, looked as ridiculous as Gwen herself. Gwen grinned at him, and rolled her eyes, and Percy grinned back, and it was the first time she'd seen him look so carefree. Gwen counted the fact that she'd put it there as a personal accomplishment, but as the conch horn sounded throughout the forest, the witch couldn't dwell on it for long.

"Showtime," Connor murmured. He gave a grizzly grin. "You ready to kick some ass, Shorty?"

Gwen twirled her wand between her fingers, and returned Connor's grin with one of her own. "Bring it."

And so they waited. And waited. And waited some more.

"Where are they?" Gwen muttered. The twins shrugged. "This is _lame_."

As the conch horn sounded throughout the forest once again, the trio shared disgruntled frowns, Gwen followed the twins of Hermes towards the creek and stared, curious, at the company of Aries children, among them Clarisse, who looked as though they'd all been submerged in the placid looking creek. The daughter of Aries was raging, but as a deep, rumbling growl reverberated throughout the clearing, everyone tensed.

"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes," Gwen murmured and cast her gaze across the shadows, searching for whatever it may be. She found it on top of a rock pile, a hideously ugly, monstrously large hell hound, with eyes like molten lava and canine teeth bared in a menacing growl. It's attention, however, was fixed solely on Percy and Gwen tensed further, like a bow string pulled taught, unwilling to see the kid hurt. He was only twelve, after all. Beyond that, she'd sort of grown fond of him.

Without really being conscious of it, Gwen raised her wand and pushed her magic to the fore, with every intention to _protect Percy_. A bolt of lightning raced from her wand and struck the beast in the side, and if Gwen wasn't so focused, she might have been surprised by her own magic. She'd not even known she'd been able to do that, but as the creature seized up and evaporated into a pile of golden mist, there were more important things to focus on.

More specifically, the fact that there was a glowing green, holographic trident above Percy's head, and a glittering gold, holographic lightning bolt above her own.

the title in her mind came unbidden, oath breakers, and not for the first time, Gwen grimaced her displeasure. She'd not been pleased by her status as a daughter of Zeus, more so when she'd learned of the oath Zeus, Poseidon and Hades had made on the Styx, but there was no use crying over spilt milk and it wasn't as if she could change the circumstances around her conception. It just _was_ and there was no going back now.

After Percy and Gwen were hailed as the son of Poseidon and daughter of Zeus, respectively, the wide eyed campers, struck speechless, rose from their kneeling positions, Gwen glowered at nothing in particular and followed Chiron to camp, with percy beside her and their fellow campers silent behind them. She returned her borrowed armour and weapons to the armoury, made her way into the Hermes Cabin and clambered into her sleeping bag, where she fell asleep with her mind on everything that would change in the coming days, now that her paternity had been determined, and the big guy upstairs finally mustered the effort to claim her as his daughter.

In the middle of a dream in which something old, and powerful, and entirely malevolent was talking to her from the bottom of a black abyss, Gwen was woken to find Connor and Travis hovering over her, mischievous grins on their identical features. She glared at them blearily, entirely unimpressed by the fact they'd woken her while it was still dark out.

"What the fuck are you wankers doing?"

They gestured for Gwen to follow them and she did so in silence, annoyed but curious. They led her outside, where the stars were bright and the night quiet. It was a curiosity to see the camp, usually so lively and bustling, so still and peaceful, but Gwen didn't get the opportunity to truly appreciate it because from there, they led her towards the Dionysus Cabin, where they crawled beneath the porch, to a hidden sort of _cubby_ there. It was cramped, and stuffy, and hot, with Clarisse and Silena, Chuck and Lee, Mick, Caster and Pollux present, more so when Travis, Connor and Gwen squeezed inside.

"What is this?' She grunted, "A goddamn sardine can?"

"Something like that," Clarisse answered flatly and Gwen gave a breathy laugh, unfailingly amused despite her poor mood.

The space issue wasn't helped by the walls, lined with too many bottles of smuggled alcohol and crates of the same, but as Lee conjured shot glasses, and Pollux opened a bottle of tequila, Gwen hardly cared that she was seated on a dusty case, with her head brushing the underside of the Dionysus porch, her bare feet in Lee's lap and her skin clammy with sweat.

"A toast," Silena declared, raising her shot glass, "To the life of a demigod, high mortality rate and all."

Gwen followed suit, a mocking smile on her pretty face. "Here's to hoping I live long enough to not die a virgin."

"That's something worth drinking to," Mick agreed. "Here's to martyrdom, the only way we're expected to go."

The toasts went around, grim, and depressing, but enough to make all the demigods present laugh, and forget to cry. To deadbeat parents, to no parents at all, to homelessness and danger, to disillusionment and death and all of the ugly in the world.

They each drained their shots, and Pollux poured some more. Gwen passed on the third though, and she instead leant against Silena, boneless, and tired, and longing for the life she'd lived before magic, and gods, and saving the world, where her only problem was her relatives, where ignorance was bliss, and when the only danger to her was Dudley and his disgusting friends. She might have cried, but that reflex had been forced out of her years ago, courtesy of her loathsome relatives, and all Gwen could do was sit, and stare, and wonder when life had gotten to be so damnably hard.

"We should probably get back to bed," Beckendorf rumbled, his low baritone, like coal and burning embers, a bizarre comfort, "The harpies will be back around soon."

The harpies, half bird, half human beings had taken up the task of patrolling the camp at night. They were hideously ugly, with grating voices and talon-like nails that Gwen had no desire to experience. That said, she was one of the first to agree with a sleepy yawn, and was followed by her friends.

With everyone in agreement, they crawled out of the cubby, stretched out their cramped limbs and went their separate ways without issue. Gwen, Travis and Connor returned to the Hermes cabin, the witch took the opportunity to change into some proper pyjamas and she crawled into her sleeping bag, able to fall asleep content in the knowledge that her new friends didn't give a damn about who her father was. She doubted she'd be able to say the same for many others in the camp, but in truth, she didn't really _care_ about what everyone else thought. At the very least, that was what she told herself and if she pretended hard enough, she might actually have believed it.

**Author's Note:** Somewhat shorter than all of the other chapters, but the muse was pretty stubborn.

Reviews are love. -t.


	6. Chapter 6

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Six:**

As Gwen shoved her sleeping bag into her magically expanded satchel, she got to her feet, looked around to ensure she'd not missed anything and turned to the door. Since she'd finally been determined a daughter of Zeus the night before, she was moving out of the Hermes cabin and into the one for Zeus' children. Even though she'd only been there for a week, the witch found that she'd grown fond of the overcrowded, chaotic cabin, and she was certain she'd miss it. Gwen usually tried to avoid sentimentalities though, and so she firmed her resolve quickly, determined not to show weakness in front of anyone outside of her new circle of friends.

On her slow way to the door, Travis and Connor dropped to their knees in front of her, circled their arms around Gwen's middle and simultaneously wailed, "Why you want to leave me?"

Gwen scoffed, flicked them each in the forehead and answered, "Because you two imbeciles have tried - _again_ - to break through my anti-theft ward, despite me telling you on several occasions that to do so would risk my wrath."

The anti-theft ward was one of many enhancements she'd paid a pretty penny to have imbued into her satchel, but on Privet Drive and now in the Hermes Cabin, the additions had been a godsend and something worth every knut she'd spent to get it. Apparently, the twins' unlocking magic was not cooperative with goblin warding.

"You wound me with such baseless words," Travis exclaimed, and in a move eerily similar to his twin's from some nights before, he swayed backwards, but unlike Connor, Travis fell on his arse, pretended to suffocate and proceeded to play dead, to the interest of no one.

"Are you done?" Gwen queried, expression artfully bored.

"Yeah, we're done," Connor confirmed, climbing to his feet, "We just wanted to know if you needed any help moving into the Zeus cabin."

She shook her head, smiled fondly, patted her bag and answered, "Nope. I have everything I brought here. Thanks for the offer though, twins."

They saluted and led the way out of the Hermes Cabin, but rather than walk with her to the mausoleum-type structure that was the Zeus cabin, they instead headed towards the training arena, with calls over their respective shoulders that they'd see her later. Gwen waved back her acknowledgement, made the short walk to the Zeus cabin alone and paused at the top of the porch steps, strangely hesitant. Then she shook herself, took a bracing breath and stepped inside, unsure of what she'd find.

In hindsight, Gwen really shouldn't have been surprised, but when she caught sight of the celestial bronze statue of Zeus in the middle of her new, one room cabin, all she could do was stare, absolutely stupefied. If the portrait she'd seen in the big blue house was anything to go by, the statue actually held an extreme likeness to her divine father, but all Gwen could really think about was the question of how she'd sleep at night with _that_ watching over her, like a shiny, unwelcome sentinel.

Fortunately, a hoot diverted Gwen's attention from big, bronze and ugly, and Gwen turned, a delighted smile on her face at the sight of her first ever companion. It was her beloved owl, perched on a stand by the eastern window, fidgeting restlessly in place there. Her trunk was also present, situated beneath the window sill, and upon further examination, it seemed to have been unpacked, if the textbooks on her shelves, the journals on her study desk and the clothes in her new wardrobe were anything to go by.

"Hedwig," Gwen greeted fondly, stroking the snowy's downy feathers, "I've missed you, love. How did you get here?"

"That would be Tiny's work, mistress."

Gwen whirled, heart in her throat, to see a house elf clad in a miniature maid's outfit, with big floppy ears and earnest blue eyes. She had curtsied when Gwen's attention had fallen on her, but Gwen gestured her up quickly, another fond smile on her face.

"You always know what I need, Tiny. Thank you."

Gwen had known Tiny since she was ten, when she had been introduced by Sirius to the shear magnitude that was her inheritance as the heiress to the Potter Estate. That entire year had been made up of deportment, language, and estate management lessons, beyond her usual mundane school hours anyway, and she'd grown very close to Tiny in that time, and the years beyond, but she'd still not expected this. She never really did.

"Tiny is happy to serve, Mistress. Will Mistress be needing anything else?"

"No, Tiny, but do you know of any news from home?"

Tiny clicked her fingers, and a small pile of 'Daily Prophet' papers appeared in the air beside the little elf. They were floated over to Gwen's study table, directly beside a small stack of letters the witch hadn't noticed in her perusal of the room.

"Thanks, again, Tiny. I won't be needing anything else for now."

Tiny curtsied and popped away and Gwen looked around the room again, to the ceiling like storm clouds, to the polished mahogany floor, to the walls a blue so pale they almost appeared white. There were two twin sized beds parallel from each other, with matching shelves, desks, chests of drawers and claw foot wardrobes, a small ring of couches in one corner, but nothing else. She would probably have to remedy that, but for now, Gwen opted to settle her satchel on her chosen bed, approached her desk and flicked through the letters quickly.

Dumbledore's scrawl was hell on her dyslexic eyes, but a translation spell remedied _that_ issue and Gwen scanned through the letter, progressively more unimpressed as she read on. By the time the Gryffindor girl was done, she was frowning, and was entirely unrepentant when she binned the missive with a derisive scoff.

"Avoid sharing sensitive information with Neville?" Gwen asked herself. "I think not."

Ron and Hermione's letters were similarly trashed, though this time without being opened, because Gwen was still _furious_ with them and she doubted that would change. Ginny's letter was full of inane prattle, witty commentary and messages between the lines, and Gwen set it aside, certain to reply at her first available opportunity.

There were more letters from her various friends, Angelina, Alicia and Katie, whom Gwen had bonded with during Oliver Wood's manic training sessions, too many hours spent in the locker room, and a shared love of quidditch, Susan Bones and Megan Jones, whom Gwen had bonded with over a shared love of Ancient Runes and Arithmency, Fred and George Weasley, who had adopted Gwen as another sister, Lee Jordan, whom Gwen had come to know through the Weasley twins and Luna Lovegood, whose quirky personality had drawn Gwen in immediately.

Then there was letters from Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, who Gwen had come to know remarkably well during her brief stint 'dating' Blaise Zabini. Lisa Turpin, Mandy Brocklehurst and Padma Patil were girls Gwen had come to appreciate for their keen intellect and individual interests, Gabriel Tate and Justin Finch-Fletchley, who had the same appreciation for muggle movies as Gwen herself, Anthony Goldstein, who was just so adorably dorky, and all of her fellow Gryffindor soon-to-be fifth years as well.

It never failed to surprise Gwen how much she seemed to matter to people, but as she broke the wax seal on Neville's letter, blessedly written in ancient Greek, she pushed those warm and fuzzy feelings aside, turned her attention to her best friend's words and frowned, feeling inordinately helpless. Lines like '_I don't know what's going on_' and '_I've been having dreams_' and '_I miss you_' jumped out from the page, and without adieu, Gwen sought out an empty scroll and a self-inking quill, and began to write.

When she was done, the scroll bound in ribbon, Gwen summoned Tiny, handed the elf Neville's letter and instructed the little being to deliver it directly to the Longbottom heir. Afterwards, she deposited all of her letters in a pile, withdrew some more parchment and began to pen her replies.

It took her a lot of time, but by the time lunch had rolled around with the summer sun high in the sky, Gwen was satisfied to have completed all of her responses for her friends. It was fortunate she knew some of them were together, which made her task that little bit easier.

All the same, as she exited her new cabin, she was contemplating the likelihood of carpel tunnel in her wrist, but those thoughts were shot out the proverbial window at the sight of the Apollo siblings, specifically lee, playing volleyball alongside a fair few Hermes boys.

Lee Fletcher was shirtless, all rippling abs, tanned skin and glistening sweat. A fine trail of golden hair led down from his belly button to disappear below low slung board shorts, an exhilarated smile was on his face and Gwen was almost certain she'd just died and gone to heaven.

The witch wouldn't lie. She was pretty sure she had drooled a little bit.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Silena queried, breaking Gwen from her shameless ogling, "I mean, I swear to God, this is what I look forward to every year, all that glorious man flesh on display like that." She sighed, wistful. "I just wish Chuck was confident enough to go sans shirt, too."

Gwen hummed her agreement. "Imagine his arms, all that forging…"

Silena giggled, and waggled her eyebrows suggestively, "I bet he's really good with his hands."

Gwen screeched a laugh, not having expected that from Silena, the hopeless romantic. Uncharacteristically, she slapped the girl's arms, giggled manically and began to shush her as the daughter of Aphrodite began to talk about her fantasies, not interested in hearing about _those_.

"Shit," Gwen cursed, "Lee's coming this way. Shut up, Blondie."

Silena zipped her lips and smiled innocently, expression expectant as Lee came to a stop at the porch steps of the Zeus cabin, where Gwen and Silena had settled to shamelessly admire the view.

"What might we do for you, Mr fletcher?" Gwen greeted, teasing grin on her face.

"Just wanted to know if you wanted to join the game," Lee answered. "Interested?"

Gwen intentionally eyed the son of Apollo up and down, and then looked down at her Camp Halfblood tank top and denim shorts.

She gave Lee a smirk. Beside her, Silena smothered her grin behind her hand. "I think we're a little overdressed for that, Mr Fletcher."

Lee eyed Gwen up and down, gaze lingering on Gwen's bare legs, and he smirked in return.

"If you change your mind, than you're always welcome." He paused. "Bathing suits are optional."

Lee returned to the game and this time, it was Silena slapping her arm, silently screeching all the while. Gwen tried to bat her off, but the daughter of Aphrodite was persistent, and Gwen gave up, rolling her eyes in the process.

"Oh my Gods, what the fuck was that? Holy shit! You totally just eye fucked him!"

"If I wasn't mistaken, it was entirely reciprocal," Gwen answered glibly, "Now, do you have any bikinis I might borrow?"

With a grin, Silena tugged Gwen towards the Aphrodite cabin, ushered her inside and began to rifle through a dresser drawer filled entirely with bathing suits. She withdrew an emerald green two piece suit, nodded her satisfaction and unceremoniously shoved it into Gwen's hands.

"Go," she insisted, "The bathroom is behind you."

Gwen obeyed, changed into the bikini, tugged her shorts back on and entered into the main cabin, shirt and underwear bundled up in her arms.

"Well, well," Silena teased, "Aren't you just a sexy beast?"

Gwen struck a pose, gratefully accepted the empty bag Silena offered her and deposited her clothes inside. The cabin ten counsellor deposited the bag on her bed and ushered Gwen outside.

"Now go get him, tiger. Have fun." Gwen headed for the stairs and Silena called out after her, "And look out for nip slips!"

Gwen laughed, whirled on her feet and gave Silena an entirely unabashed grin, the finger, and a promise to do as told. "Catch you later, Sil. I have to make a certain son of Apollo a salivating wreck, now - wish me luck."

**Author's Note:** Updates will start slowing down from now on as I pan out my story's plot line. It's difficult, because as much as I want to diverge from canon by way of Gwen's role and general presence in both stories, it's a lot harder to do so while still trying to maintain the basic outline, more so with Percy Jackson, but that's more because I'm far less familiar with the canon story than I am with Harry Potter, plot holes included.

Also, end of semester assessment is being piled on threefold, and that's going to take over my life in the coming weeks, at least until some time in November when I go on end of year break. I'm predicting copious amounts of caffeinated beverages, study snacks and sleepless nights in my near future, but c'est la vi, I suppose.

Reviews are love. -t.


	7. Chapter 7

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I own neither 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Seven:**

On Sunday evening, as the sun painted the sky a colourful array of pastel orange, and pink, and yellow, Gwen was settled at the base of Thalia's tree, having approached the towering pine in search of peace, and quiet, and some alone time to think. She'd spent the day with her new friends, and Lee had somehow gotten Gwen to learn a few chords on his guitar, but as the sun had begun it's descent towards the western horizon, the witch had been struck by a bout of melancholy, and had since disappeared for the afore mentioned time alone.

With a gusty sigh, Gwen dropped her head backwards, to hit the dried bark of Thalia's tree with a quiet thump. She closed her eyes, hummed quietly to herself, and if she tried hard enough, she could almost imagine the Grace daughter beside her, providing comfort that Gwen hadn't realised she'd needed.

Her arrival at Camp Halfblood had been succeeded by a whirlwind week, and through it all, Gwen hadn't had the opportunity to just sit, and think, and reflect upon all that had happened to her since her departure from Hogwarts. She suddenly had a family, and new friends, and the threat to her life had all at once become far more than just a vague, indistinct understanding that she and her parents had made dangerous and powerful enemies, none of whom would hesitate to take her out in some demented form of vengeance.

It wasn't like Neville, who'd inadvertently made it on top of VOldemort's hit list when, by way of his mother's sacrifice, he had brought Voldemort to a temporary defeat. All the same, the Potter family was somewhere up there with the Longbottom heir and Dumbledore, all because of their contributions during the first war. Gwen had no doubt that, as soon as he could, the snake eyed tosser would send his strongest lieutenants to put her out, a symbol of power and defiance against his authority. He'd done the same with she and Neville's respective parents after all, and the way things were going, history was bound to repeat itself.

Gwen had been mentally and physically preparing for that inevitable encounter since the end of her first year at Hogwarts School, when she and Neville had received the horrifying confirmation of Voldemort's impending return to power. In all actuality, there was a part of her that eagerly anticipated that day, when she could finally avenge the parents she'd never gotten the chance to know. That part of her was angry, and malicious, and full of an undying hatred that sometimes scared her, but as a gentle breeze fanned across her face, Gwen's mind wandered, to the threat of an entirely different sort.

Thalia had die because Hades was angry that Zeus had broken the oath, and Gwen had no doubt that as soon as she stepped out of the camp's borders, Hades' monsters would be all over the second daughter of Zeus like white on rice. Besides that, there was a darkness stirring far from here, ageless and timeless, and far more sinister than Voldemort could ever hope to be. Zeus and Poseidon were also arguing, and the older campers predicted that war would break out any day now.

It was a miserable thought, but if the weather patterns were anything to go by, it was also not a far stretch to be believed.

Gwen shredded a blade of grass, stared up at the sky and tried to find the strength within herself to survive a war on two different fronts. She felt tired though, as if she'd already lived three lifetimes, and her well of courage in the face of unbelievable odds was hard to find. She wasn't like Neville, whose unfailing optimism could light up the direst of circumstances. She was realistic, and cynical, with a bitterness born of too much disappointment in one lifetime, and a certain grit brought about by too much tragedy for one so young.

"Gwen?"

Surprised by the intrusion to her alone time, Gwen glanced up and smiled, unable to do much else at the sight of Percy, who still wore a cloak of grief around him so thick it was nearly tangible. She couldn't blame him, mind you, but she was glad to see him making an effort to socialise despite the loss of his mother.

"Hullo, Percy," she greeted, "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing," he answered, "You're just one of the few people here who treat me like a normal human being. I saw you up hear, figured I might join you, if that's okay?"

"That's just fine, percy," Gwen answered, soft, tired smile on her face. "I just needed to get away for a while, you understand?"

Percy nodded, and the expression on his face, far too old for one so young, told Gwen he knew exactly what she meant. "Is everything okay?"

"No, Percy," she replied honestly, wearily, and the evening sun was a sweet embrace against her skin. "Nothing's ever going to be okay again."

Maybe her words were prophetic, or an omen, or maybe it was just a coincidence, but when Gwen and Percy were called to the big blue house after breakfast the next morning, Gwen went with the indisputable feeling that things were about to change all over again. Her arms were crossed over her modest chest, her hair was in its usual, haphazard braid and Gwen waited in an expectant silence beside Percy, too anxious to be irked by the fact that Mr D and Chiron _still_ persisted on continuing their ridiculous game of pinochle.

"

In the days since she and Percy had been claimed, Gwen had been expecting a summons from Chiron and/or Mr D, in response to the matter of their continued existence when neither of them should have even been born. She imagined that the other gods had been arguing whether or not they should be smote down where they stood, but as the witch awaited the verdict, entirely prepared to make an escape with Percy if at all necessary, she asked herself if she really wanted to hear what the Olympians had to say.

"Our new… _celebrities._"

Gwen grimaced, struck by a bout of deja vu and the fleeting image of Professor Snape in her mind's eye, hook nose, greasy hair and malevolent, obsidian eyes. She cast her gaze over the camp, curiously eyed the growing storm clouds overhead and then watched her fellow campers, all of whom continuously flicked their attention upwards, to the brewing tempest set to fall over them.

"Can't say I'm surprised," Dionysus mused, "Neither of them could really keep it in their pants, as the saying goes."

Thunder boomed, lightning cracked, and against the porch's railing, Grover bleated his anxiety. Gwen herself grimaced and Percy flinched, but Mr D was entirely unfazed.

"Blah, blah, blah," he acknowledged with a flippant wave of his hand, and Chiron feigned interest in the hand of cards he'd been dealt.

Mr D continued, "If I had my way, I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. Chiron, however, seems to think this would go against my task at this accursed camp, to keep you brats safe from harm."

Unsure of whom that was addressed to, Gwen looked to Chiron for answers, but the old centaur wasn't much help on the matter of clearing that up.

"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr D," he interjected mildly, and Gwen wondered bitterly if he was at all fazed by the fact that they were talking about the two demigods' would-be fate.

"Nonsense," Dionysus answered, "They wouldn't feel a thing."

"That's comforting," Gwen muttered sardonically, but she was ignored.

"Mr D," Chiron warned, still in that same mild tone of his.

"Oh, alright," Dionysus relented, "There's one more option, but it's absolute foolishness."

The God of Wine and Madness got to his feet, dropped his hand of cards and continued speaking. "I'm off to Olympus for _another_ emergency meeting. If the boy's still here when I get back, I'll turn them _both_ into animals."

As she watched Dionysus do his transport trick, Gwen didn't relax until he was well and truly out of sight, with only the lingering scent of grapes, and his carelessly dropped hand of cards, the only indication he'd been there at all.

"Take a seat, the both of you, and Grover."

Gwen reluctantly acquiesced, piled the deck of cards together and began to shuffle them, anxious and in need of _something_ to do with her hands. She was irritated too, her temper bubbling beneath the surface of glaze eyes turning blue. They never failed to change with the weather, green for clear days, grey for overcast, blue for storms, glaze for when the weather itself was shifting, but as Chiron caught their attention, it was something Gwen put out of her mind.

"Tell me, what did you make of the hellhound?

Percy shuddered in remembrance of that malignant gaze fixated solely on him, Gwen grimaced at the reminder of that entire night, and Chiron nodded to himself, apparently not at all surprised.

"It scared me," Percy admitted, "If Gwen hadn't been there…"

In truth, Gwen had been scared shitless, but the sight of percy, sheltered, defenceless percy, had triggered her saving people thing, and she'd responded accordingly, heedless of any instinctive response to fly the fuck away from the danger. It wasn't anything new - Gwen, a Gryffindor for a reason, had become well acquainted with ignoring her self-preservation instincts, but to admit any of that would confirm weakness, and in front of Chiron - a relative unknown - that was just not going to happen. Ever.

"Don't think like that, Nemo, it will get you nowhere fast." She turned to Chiron. "Why do you ask?"

Chiron's smile was old, and sad, and full of _centuries_ of wisdom, and a pain Gwen couldn't begin to understand. "You'll meet worse, far worse, before you're done."

"Done…" Percy trailed off, confused, and wary, "With what?"

Again, thunder boomed, lightning arced across the sky, and Gwen closed her eyes, energised despite what the storm represented. She loved storms, would live and breathe them if she had the chance, but as Chiron spoke again, her attention was brought back to the matter at hand.

She continued to shuffle the cards.

"Your quest, of course," Chiron answered, as though it were the most obvious thing imaginable. Perhaps it was. He looked between them, though his attention was mostly on Percy. "Will you accept it?"

At the railing, Grover was crossing his fingers, expression painfully hopeful. She was aware that Grover would only get his seeker's license if he successfully guided Percy through a quest, but Gwen thought it was a little inconsiderate of the satyr, given all of the dangers Percy would meet on the way. The son of Poseidon had known he was a demigod for only a week, after all. He was not at all prepared for this bullshit.

"Um, sir, you haven't told me what it is yet," Percy observed, and Gwen breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. At least he wasn't as much a fool's rush in type, like Neville.

Chiron winced. "That's the hard part, the details."

At the far end of the camp ground, where the beach met land, it almost appeared as though the sky and sea had collided, a chaotic whirl of wind, and rain, and enormously tall waves as thunder rattled windowpanes and lightning streaked across charcoal coloured storm clouds.

"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said definitively, "They're fighting over something valuable, something that was stolen, aren't they?"

Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair, eyes hard, sharp, fixated solely on Percy. "How did you know that?"

Gwen observed the following proceedings absentmindedly, not particularly interested in Percy's demigod dreams or America's weather patterns. Apparently though, Zeus and Poseidon had been arguing since Yule, over something that was stolen, and it also happened to be their worst quarrel in centuries.

"I knew it," Grover muttered, still at his place beside the rails. Chiron reprimanded him for his efforts. The satyr persisted anyway. "But it's his quest. It must be."

"Only the oracle can determine," Chiron insisted, "But you are correct, Percius, they are quarrelling over something that has been stolen. Specifically, a lightning bolt."

Gwen's hands stilled in their shuffling and she arched an eyebrow, not having expected that. Similarly, Percy's laugh was awkward - forced. He probably didn't anticipate having to retrieve a goddamn _lightning bolt_, of all things. Gwen knew her Greek mythology though, Sirius having had _insisted _ she learn them back to front, upside down and inside out for as long as she'd known him. She knew exactly what had been taken.

"How the flying fuck does he lose _that_?" She incredulously asked herself, as Chiron informed a wide eyed Percy of what the lightning bolt was.

"Oh," Percy acknowledged monotonously, but Chiron had gathered steam and he continued his heartened spiel. Gwen cynically wondered how long he'd been rehearsing it for.

"Zeus' master bolt, the symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the cyclopes for the war against the titans, the bolt that sheared the top of Mount Etna, and hurled Kronos off his throne. The master bolt, which packs enough fire power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like _firecrackers_."

The discussion continued, the explanation of Percy's unwitting involvement in all this drama was revealed, Gwen grew steadily more irked by Zeus' paranoia and wild accusations, Percy grew steadily more panicked, and by the time Percy raised the question of whether or not Poseidon actually arranged the theft of Zeus' master bolt, Gwen was ready to leave.

Chiron sighed, weary. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style, but the Sea God is too proud to try convince Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June 21st, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy would prevail, but alas, your and Gwen's arrival eradicated any chance of such a resolution. Now, unless someone intervenes - unless the master bolt is returned to Zeus - there will be war."

He continued, outline the consequences of such an outcome, and Gwen could just imagine it, countries torn asunder, thousands, maybe even millions of lives lost. What were the insignificant lives of mortals, after all, when the matter of divine pride was at stake?

Gwen might have sneered at the thought, but as things were, she was skirting on thin ice already, and she didn't particularly need any more reason to have the matter of her continued existence questioned further. She enjoyed being alive, thank you very much.

Suffice to say, however, Gwen wasn't particularly inclined towards the Olympians and in truth, she wished she'd never learned of their continued existence. She'd been happy in the ignorant belief that they were all simply myths, legends passed on throughout the centuries, nothing more than remnants of an age long gone. She had been accepting of the knowledge that her parents were mad, that Voldemort and his lieutenants would one day come after her, but as Chiron brought up the matter of the quest, the witch recognised that it was just a reality she'd have to come to terms with, lest the bitterness tear her up inside.

"Do you agree then?" Chiron questioned, "Will you take up the quest?"

Percy looked at Grover, who nodded his encouragement, but then he looked to Gwen, and she shrugged, unable to say no, but neither able to say yes. She could only imagine Percy's death with either option, by Zeus, or Hades, or someone else entirely. She had grown fond of the runt though, and the thought of his death pained her, and therefore, the witch could neither support or encourage him.

It seemed a matter of a rock and a hard place though, so Gwen wasn't particularly surprised when Percy agreed. She was sad though, sad and resigned, and she watched him enter the big blue house with a heavy heart, and the unspoken, morbid question of whether or not the boy would see his next birthday. She hoped fervently that the answer was yes, but as things were, Gwen was realistic enough not to hold her breath. But then she collected herself and turned to the activities coordinator, cobalt gaze resolute.

"Why am I here, Chiron?"

**Author's Note:** Please be aware that some of the content in this chapter was copied and/or paraphrased from 'The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief' with every hope that the content from there, in turn, was copied from canon. if this is not the case, and I've copied from the author, than I apologise. A lot.


	8. Chapter 8

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I own neither 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Eight:**

"Your father initially wanted you present on Percy's quest," Chiron said simply, "But he's changed his mind. He'd prefer that you remain in the safety of Camp Halfblood's borders, for now."

Gwen pursed her lips, resisting the urge to childishly insist that _James Potter_ was all the father she'd ever need. After all, what had _Zeus_ ever done for her? He'd certainly not jumped in front of a cruciatus curse meant for Gwen as James had, even as the man had known somewhere in his already ravaged mind that it meant suffering _more_ torture at the hands of Voldemort's deadliest lieutenants.

"Of course he did," Gwen scoffed sardonically, "There'd be no other reason for me to be claimed, after all. "We can't have _his_ progeny upstaged by Poseidon's, God help us all."

Chiron frowned, though whether it was out of concern, or worry, or disapproval, Gwen couldn't know. As Percy returned from his visit with the oracle, she wouldn't find out either, but the witch didn't have much of a problem with that. She had no interest in hearing the old trainer's preachings because as far as Gwen was concerned, the Olympians had done nothing for her, and in return, they expected her to bend over backwards to accommodate their own desires.

Of course, Gwen would do it because she had no desire of being struck down where she sat, but she wasn't happy about it and the witch had no qualms about admitting it. Loudly, if and whenever necessary.

Voice of truth, thy name was Gwen.

Percy flopped gracelessly back into his chair, gave a frustrated sigh and glared at the table top, where Gwen had begun a game of solitaire with her borrowed cards.

"Well?" Chiron probed, expectant expression on his ageless face. Grover slowly chewed an aluminium can, and Gwen overturned one of her cards.

"She said I would retrieve what was stolen," percy answered, tone monotonous.

Grover picked up speed on the aluminium crunching. "That's great."

Gwen scoffed in derision - there was nothing great about it - but she didn't say a word. The runt didn't need her cynicism when he was about to go on a quest that he might never return from. Instead, she waited for whatever Chiron had to say.

"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron persisted, "This is important."

Gwen listened to the following discussion about the prophecy with half an ear, not really interested in what the prophet had to say. She'd learned during her time at Hogwarts that prophecies, and Divination as a whole, were finicky things, and she'd rather _not_ think about it until _after_ it had been fulfilled, once percy was safely back at camp - if that ever happened.

"That's about it."

Chiron scrutinised Percy's face and didn't believe what the son of Poseidon had just said, but didn't push the issue. "Very well, Percy. The Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much; the truth is often unclear until events have come to pass."

The discussion continued, Gwen rolled her eyes and once again, began to shuffle the cards. It appeared the blame was immediately put on Hades, which was stupid, but who was she to protest? He'd killed her sister, after all, just because he couldn't hurt his brother. Blaming the blameless, as it were. NO doubt, she'd eventually get her fair share of something similar, if Hades had his way.

As Gwen watched Grover, and then Annabeth, recruited into the questing party, she got to her feet, not particularly interested in watching all of the heartwarming shit sure to follow. She still wasn't even sure why she was there to begin with, seeing that it was clear she was no longer expected in the company.

"Is that all?" She queried, "Because I actually still have a lot to learn, and two months isn't a lot of time to learn it in."

"You're not coming?" Percy asked, and he looked suddenly downtrodden. Gwen felt momentarily guilty, but this wasn't her quest and she really had no right to barge in on it. She didn't even _want_ to.

"No, Percy, you're the hero this time. Like Heracles, or whatever." She gave him an encouraging grin that she didn't quite feel. "You won't need me. I'm sure of it."

"That is all," Chiron confirmed, "I had simply wished to keep you informed of the current affairs. After all, it concerns you as well, more or less."

Gwen nodded her understanding, promised to see the trio off on their quest and made her way to the archery field, where she found Lee methodically shooting arrows with an enviable precision, heedless of the rain, thunder and occasional arc of lightning. She watched the flex of his back muscles through his sodden shirt, and admired the steadiness of his hands, but waited until he didn't have an arrow between those dexterous fingers to announce her presence.

"Sorry I'm late," she began, "I didn't realise Chiron would keep me so long. I'd have let you know, otherwise."

Lee looked at Gwen, a smile on his handsome face. If not for his colouring, blonde hair, and sun kissed complexion, she might have said that he looked stereotypically like a hero of old, with his high cheekbones, and square jaw, and the shape of his nose. His shoulders were broad, his waist narrow, his muscles precisely proportional to his body structure. He wasn't a body builder by any stretch of the imagination, but he was streamlined and lean, like a swimmer, or perhaps a runner, and Gwen perhaps liked it more than she should have.

"Its no problem, Shorty. Clarisse let me know you might be late. Is everything alright?"

"It was mostly about Percy, but yes, everything's fine, more or less." She opted to keep her mouth shut about the quest, unsure of the protocol concerning such matters. "Percy and I aren't to be executed, at any rate."

"Always a plus," Lee acknowledged, ironic sort of quirk to his lips that wasn't really a smile. "You think you can shoot in this weather?"

"Please," she scoffed, accepting the bow and arrow the son of Apollo offered her, "Storms are my schtick. I'll probably do better _with_ the storm."

"By all means," Lee acknowledged, "No wind manipulation either, Shorty."

"If I've told you once, Leighton Fletcher, than I've told you _a thousand goddamn times_, that shit is _not_ intentional."

In every one of her archery lessons thus far, Gwen had a tendency to manipulate the wind speed and direction with every shot she made. It was entirely uncontrolled on her part, and she couldn't get a handle on the ability for the life of her, but Lee found it inordinately entertaining to rile her up about it _every single session_.

"Whatever, Shorty, start firing. Those arrows aren't going to shoot themselves, and your arms still need to get used to the motions."

"Keep your knickers on, Sunshine," she grumbled, raised her bow, notched the arrow and lined it up with the target. She breathed in, and felt the water and wind and electricity all around her, corrected her aim accordingly, and she fired, genuinely astounded when she actually hit the bullseye.

"Awesome," Lee grinned, "Do it again."

And so she did, again and again and again, until her quiver was empty, her arrows were in distinct need of a mass reparation spell and Gwen was ecstatic with the thrill of her accomplishment.

"That was honestly extraordinary, Gwen," Lee commended, "I thought you were kidding about the storm thing, but wow. If you can harness that in clear weather, you'll be on par with - well - _me_."

"Are you being pretentious?"

"Yeah, no," he answered, sheepish smile on his face, "That sounded better in my head. But honestly, you're an awesome archer - today showed that - you just need practise."

"In other fields as well," she acknowledged, "I have another weapons session with the Hermes campers. I'll catch you later, Lee."

She gave him a flirty wink, spun on her heel and sloshed off towards the training arena, heedless of her sodden hair and the clothes that clung to her modest curves. She was pretty, undeniably so, but Gwen was only fourteen, nearly fifteen, and though she acted far older than her years, her body wasn't so mature as to have a figure that turned heads. One day, certainly, but that day was not now, and it wouldn't be for at least another year. That said, the witch felt that she didn't have much to hide and therefore, she didn't bother trying to.

Instead, she grit her way through her arms training with Luke, who relentlessly pushed the Gryffindor beyond her limits by way of sword training, and again with a daughter of Hermes named Tracey, who was similarly merciless with the twin dagger combo that Gwen preferred. She was apparently improving slowly but surely, but as the lunch horn sounded, Gwen admitted to Connor and Travis that she couldn't see it.

"Oh, it's there," Connor assured, "Before, you couldn't last ten seconds against Luke. You manage a minute now."

"When you learn more manoeuvres, and your arms get used to the strain of your weapons, it will be even more obvious," Travis added. "You're good, Shorty. DOn't doubt that."

"I don't think Luke likes me much," Gwen admitted, for lack of anything else to talk about. It wasn't as though she particularly cared, because she had no fondness for the Hermes cabin counsellor, but it was noted that Luke was much kinder to Percy, and anyone, really, who wasn't Gwen. "I think he wishes I was Thalia, or that I had died in her place. Or become treeified, or whatever."

"Luke wasn't the same after his quest," Connor said simply, "Word is he saw something there, something he can't ever unsee."

Gwen remembered her encounter in the Forbidden Forest, that dead unicorn and the leech surviving off of it's spilled blood. Draco Malfoy had run back to the castle like the pussy he was, and Neville had been screaming in undiluted agony, and Gwen had only been able to watch, unable to look away. It had been horrifying, and unholy, and something she'd wished she'd been able to forget, but had known in her heart of hearts that she would never be able to. It had changed her, perhaps more than she'd realised, disillusioned her to people and the lengths they'd go, to magic, to the misperception that purity still existed in the world.

"It changed him," Travis added, "He's a bit of a dick now, spends all his time training. He seems to only like Percy these days."

They reached the pavilion and separated to their respective tables. Next to Gwen's, Percy was seated at his own, halfheartedly picking at his souvlaki and salad, expression thoughtful. Gwen settled behind him at her own table, made her offerings and dug into her meal with enthusiasm.

"We're leaving after lunch," Percy informed Gwen.

"I'll be there to see you guys off," Gwen assured, "I promise."

And so she was, stood at Thalia's tree when Percy, Annabeth and Grover approached, Chiron alongside them. She scrutinised their expressions, open and bright, and so very unlike those she'd come to know on Neville's, and her own, features. She wished she could keep them like this, young, naive, impressionable, but everyone was scheduled to grow up sometime, and it was just unfortunate that for this particular trio, that time was now.

For a few moments, she watched the exchange between Percy and Chiron, and then the one between Percy and Luke, but then the Hermes cabin counsellor was returning to the camp, and the three questers were looking at Gwen, curious.

"Are you ready?" She asked them. They nodded, and she turned her head to look down the hill, to the Camp Halfblood van, and Argus, waiting for them there. "Than its time for you to go. Good luck."

As they descended down the hill, and Gwen watched them disappear out of sight, Chiron by her side, she continued to herself, "Something tells me you'll need all the luck you can get."

**Author's Note:** Reviews are love, -t.


	9. Chapter 9

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I own neither 'Percy Jackson' or 'Harry Potter'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Nine: **

At dawn, on the third day since Percy and company's departure, Gwen was on the beach, running her usual morning laps. After two weeks, her speed and stamina had increased with help of the tree nymphs, who'd spent centuries running from persistent gods, but as she stopped after her fourth circuit, Gwen was interrupted in her routine by the presence of Lee, clad in exercise shorts and an undershirt, damp with sweat and what have you.

Normally, the Apollo children got up at dawn and spent the time before breakfast playing basketball, or volleyball, or swimming in the lake, or something equally as active, specifically for the purpose of exhausting as much of their excess energy as possible. It also kept them close-knit and fit, but as she eyed the Apollo cabin counsellor now, it was apparent that, for whatever reason, they'd finished up their morning activity early.

Gwen herself had at least another hour before she had to get ready for breakfast, and with every intention to spend that time practising her Tai Chi and the skills Clarisse wanted ingrained into Gwen's muscle memory, she was somewhat irked by the intrusion.

Even if it _was_ Lee Fletcher, who'd somehow wormed his way under her skin with absolutely no intention to let her go.

"What's up, Legolas?"

"Nothing," he answered, settling himself on Gwen's yoga mat. She kicked him for his trouble, settled gracelessly in the sand beside him and cast a thousand mile stare over the ocean. The rising sun had painted the sky golden, and when she turned back to the son of Apollo, his smile was bright. Gwen was sure she'd never seen him look so peaceful. "I love the sunrise."

"No surprise there," she acknowledged, and her green eyes met blue, bright and fathomless. She'd never understood what it meant when people said that eyes were windows to the soul and Gwen didn't really believe it anyway, but she thought she could stare at Lee Fletcher's eyes forever.

And she hated that weakness.

With effort, Gwen wrenched her gaze away from the Apollo cabin counsellor, glowered at the lapping waves and firmed her resolve. She would not submit to whatever power Lee Fletcher had over her, or Merlin help her, she'd regress into that weak, orphan girl ready to cling onto any attention _anyone_ gave her. And if Gwen knew anything, it was that she wouldn't be that girl again. The witch wouldn't let herself.

"What do you think about this lightning bolt drama?"

Gwen grimaced at the unpleasant reminder. She'd kept her mouth shut since Percy and company had left for their quest, but somehow word had been leaked of the entire mess and now the camp was divided the same way as their divine parents, and it was all just too much drama Gwen couldn't be bothered dealing with. More annoying was the fact that the Athena campers had taken to shadowing her everywhere, and Gwen was _this close_ to simply hexing the morons.

"Why?" She asked gruffly, "Why does my opinion matter?"

"It's your father's lightning bolt," Lee answered plainly, "And he's accusing the Lord of the Seas of stealing it. Its wrong."

"Whatever," she groused, and got to her feet. She dusted off as much sand as possible, gathered up her exercise gear when Lee got up from her mat, and made her way towards the cabins. Lee followed, annoyingly persistent.

"What do you want me to say, Lee?" Gwen asked, exasperated, stood at the base of the Zeus Cabin porch, "Quite frankly, I have no loyalty to either of them, so why should I pick a side?"

Lee stepped backwards, his expression inscrutable, and Gwen wondered what was happening. It seemed as though Lee had been asking about a lot more than whom she thought was right in this mess, but his expression was shuddered, closed off to her, and Gwen had never been particularly good at reading him anyway.

"I don't know," Lee answered, "I just figured you'd care enough to fight for the right thing. I guess I was wrong."

Lee turned and began to walk away, and Gwen followed, insulted, bewildered, hurt and somewhat outraged. She'd never been able to let accusations like that go uncontested, and this time was no exception. It bothered Gwen that it was Lee she was confronting, but short of walking away, which was something Gwen would _never_ do, there was nothing she could do about it.

"Care? You don't think I care?" Gwen exclaimed, "Of _course_ I fucking care! Those _Olympians_ sent a couple of _twelve year olds_ to the _goddamn underworld_! Excuse me if I want no part in approving of _that_ bullshit. Its nice to know what you think of me though, so thanks for that, asshole, and fuck you very much."

Heedless of the sparks she was radiating in her anger, Gwen stalked back to the Zeus cabin to retrieve her shower things. She cared not for the fact that her anger left the air around her an uncontrolled wind storm, that her hair had become a frightfully frizzy mess, and that the few campers awake had witnessed she and Lee's brief spat. Instead, she focused her attention on solely retrieving a change of clothes and her toiletries, glared at anyone brave enough to stand in her way as she headed to the girls' communal bathroom and tried to calm herself under the scalding hot shower spray. Before she could manage that, however, Silena found her, and Gwen braced herself for another argument with another friend.

The daughter of Aphrodite was leant against the shoulder high shower stall, and Gwen couldn't care less about the fact that Silena probably had an amazing view of her bare bum. In the dorms, the Gryffindor girls learned to discard modesty real fast, and Gwen was absolutely no exception to that particular rule.

"Do you know the reason why Chiron had to break up a fist fight between Lee, Mick, and the Stoll twins?"

Gwen grunted, eyes closed and hands efficiently lathering shampoo into her sable hair. "Buggered if I give a damn."

"I'll tell you why," Silena continued, apparently ignoring Gwen's comment, "Connor and Travis took insult with Lee's presumptions about you, and they reacted with fists. Mick didn't like the two to one odds against his brother, and so he got involved too."

Gwen cracked open one eye, made sure Silena wasn't pulling her leg, and then shrugged. The hurt, and the anger, broiled inside her, and her temper threatened to lash out at an unsuspecting daughter of Aphrodite, and Gwen struggled to keep it at bay, aware that Silena didn't deserve _that_.

"Do you expect me to be grateful for the boys? I don't need them fighting my battles for me. Lee was out of line, anyway, the git, so excuse me if I don't feel the slightest bit bad for him."

"What happened?" Silena queried. She wore a sincere frown of concern on her face, and Gwen marvelled at the fact she'd gotten so close with the girl so quickly. "Word is that you two got into an argument this morning. What was it about?"

"He basically called me an apathetic bitch this morning for not caring for what was allegedly 'right'," Gwen answered, "I corrected him of that assumption. Then I came here." Glibly, she added, "I must say, I'm rather impressed by the Camp Halfblood gossip mill."

"You're a hot topic," Silena explained blithely, "So what _are_ your thoughts, concerning, well… everything?"

Gwen reiterated her point with unrelenting conviction, towelled herself off and began to get dressed. She dried her hair with a charm, brushed and styled it into her usual, haphazard braid and gave Silena a mirthless smile.

"Are you going to tear strips into me for not picking a side, too?"

Silena rolled her eyes, linked their arms together and walked with Gwen towards the Zeus cabin. She looked entirely unfazed by the glances sent their way, but Gwen supposed if you were as pretty as the Beauregard daughter, then you'd have to get used to the attention sooner or later.

"Of course not," she scoffed, "I couldn't give a damn about war. My mother just picked old Davy Jones' side because her lover did too."

Gwen hummed her acknowledgement. "As good a reason as any, I suppose."

When they reached the Zeus cabin, Gwen ushered Silena inside and began to store away her shower things. Dirty clothes were deposited in her laundry hamper, her toiletries were haphazardly dropped on Thalia's bed and Silena was examining the room with an eye for pretty things, and Gwen wondered what she thought.

"So what's the extra bed for?" Silena queried.

Gwen shrugged. "I think its just a symbolic thing, for Thalia."

"I didn't peg the big guy for sentimentality."

"Eh, neither did I," Gwen agreed, "But there's no other children of Zeus floating around, is there?"

Silena conceded the point with a nod, cast her gaze out one of Gwen's windows and hummed thoughtfully. The Aphrodite cabin counsellor was rather observant, Gwen had noticed, far more so than anyone really gave her credit for, and as Gwen watched her watch the camp, the witch wondered what Silena saw beyond the window.

"Demeter Cabin are sticking to themselves in this mess," Silena observed, "I don't think we'll have much access to the pot circle until the issue is resolved. A shame, I suppose."

"What about the Hephaestus cabin?"

"Decidedly neutral. I was talking to Chuck about it last night, actually. Same with the Dionysus twins, though I think their dad's told them to avoid you and that Jackson kid."

"His name is Percy," Gwen informed her friend, "And what's Clarisse's opinion?"

Silena grimaced. "She's just eager to pound some skulls. Clarisse doesn't really care _who_. You know she feels that she has something to prove, don't you?"

"I got that impression, yes," Gwen confirmed. She looked at her watch and sighed. Breakfast was in ten minutes, and though she had no desire to face the masses, skipping meals was not tolerated unless a camper was infirmary bound.

With that in mind, she gathered up the things she'd need for the day, followed Silena out the cabin and locked it behind her. Their conversation continued on the way to the dining pavilion, and once again, the glances sent their way were summarily ignored.

"I guess its obvious where Connor and Travis stand," Silena mused.

"And Lee as well." Gwen's tone was bitter, and Silena's smile was sympathetic.

"He'll come around, Shorty."

"Whatever," she grunted, expression sour. They reached the pavilion though, and headed their separate ways. She could hear conversation around her, arguments, mostly, about the Poseidon and Zeus debacle, and Gwen blocked it out, not interested in being approached for _her_ opinion.

Again.

.. Instead, she settled at the Zeus table, made her offerings and dug into her breakfast, and as she did so, her time at Camp Halfblood had never seemed so lonely.

**Author's note:** A difficult chapter to write, and somewhat shorter than the others. Reviews are love and your predictions are always entertaining.. Until next time, -t.


	10. Chapter 10

**There's Nothing Sweeter**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Ten:**

_I can give you anything you've ever wanted.._

Gwen woke with a muffled scream, clawed at sweat damp sheets and struggled to take in deep, heaving lungfuls of breath. Her glaze eyes were wild, her heartbeat more so, and it took the witch some time to register the fact that she was safe, on solid ground, and _not_ falling down a deep, endless void.

Was this how Neville felt after his Voldemort dream visions?

Poor bastard.

The voice, ageless and malignant and so very, very _real_, echoed through her head and despite herself, Gwen was scared, more so than she'd ever been in her life.

She _hated_ being scared.

Fear was weakness, after all, and Gwen Potter was _not_ weak.

She hadn't been for a long time. She hadn't let herself, and she never would again.

Mostly though, she hated the fact that she _had_ to be scared. There was something going on, something beyond her current understanding, and the witch had never been fond of being left out of the loop.

Once her heart rate had steadied, Gwen took a moment to check the time, groaned at the ungodly hour but got to her feet with a weary sigh. She'd not be getting any more sleep that night, so she might as well do something productive with the time she had to spare.

Gwen avoided thinking about her dream, tried to make sense of Professor Snape's rambling essay question, failed, and resorted to replying to her most recent letters to pass the time instead.

In the pile, she was surprised to find a letter from her godfather.

They weren't close, because Gwen held a certain resentment for the man who'd refused care of her, but she'd known Sirius Black her whole life, and a part of Gwen couldn't help love him anyway, because despite refusing her guardianship, he'd worked his bum off to make sure she grew up well. To his knowledge, anyway.

Besides, he was family, and Gwen didn't have much of that to throw around.

Disregarding that, Gwen doubted he was aware of the extent of the Dursleys abuse, because her 'relatives' had gone through great pains to make sure she never spoke of it. She'd been young enough to believe their threats, but even as she'd grown older, Gwen had made the decision never to speak of her childhood with Vernon, Petunia and Dudley.

There was no point, anyway, because they didn't _dare_ harm a hair on her head these days, and Gwen wasn't sure how to live with Sirius, his wife, and his young children. In any case, she didn't think she _wanted_ to, because little children were annoying, and Gwen's patience was thin enough as was.

With a shake of her head, Gwen brought herself back to the present, scanned through her godfather's letter and hummed to herself, thoughtful. Sirius had a medical conference in Manhattan on the solstice, he wanted to catch up with her while in town, and if Gwen was so inclined, could she please write back with a good time and place to meet him?

She frowned, unwilling to exit Camp Halfblood's borders. More so, she was unsure if any guests were at liberty to enter the grounds.

She would have to talk to Chiron about it, or Mr D, but as she took note of the time, the witch also knew she had to wait a few more hours to do so.

It was nearly five, the sky had just barely begun to lighten over the eastern horizon, and Gwen suppressed a yawn, tired. It would be a long day.

All the same, she'd never been one to back down from a challenge, so she dressed in her yoga pants and a tank top, donned her running shoes and braided her hair. Her summer assignments, and letters, could wait until that evening.

At breakfast, Gwen was approached by Chiron, who requested that she meet him during what should have been her Ancient Greek lesson that afternoon. She agreed and turned back to her meal, heedless of the glances that were _still_ sent her way.

The initial fervour about the Zeus/Poseidon spat had died down, but the Athena children were _still_ shadowing her, Lee _still_ hadn't apologised, and Gwen _still_ hadn't picked a side. The Hermes, Hephaestus, Demeter and Dionysus cabins had opted to remain neutral, and Gwen had spent a fair bit of time with Katie Gardener in response to that decision.

She'd also been given a baggy of some premium weed as a bonus, but that was another story.

"Why the long face?"

Gwen grunted and glared at the daughter of Demeter, but Katie was unfazed. She was one of those genuinely _nice_ people, and Gwen sort of wondered why she reciprocated Travis' crush ten million times over, but figured it was none of her business and therefore, she had thus far not verbalised that question. Besides, douchebaggery aside, Travis was her friend, Katie was steadily becoming another one, and if being together made them both happy, than so be it.

"You know what? I think you're still grumpy that Lee's not talking to you."

"Bugger off," Gwen retorted hotly, "I don't need presumptuous wankers as friends. Wanker."

"You said wanker twice," Katie acknowledged mildly, but her smile was serene, entirely content with the opinion that she was right.

Gwen, of course, had no intention of confirming it because the witch was angry, and she had no desire to be hung up on Lee Fletcher. She hated her response to him, she hated the fact that Lee had somehow wormed his way under her skin, and she most definitely hated the fact that there was nothing she could do about it.

Damn, but Aphrodite must have been having a field day.

"Fuck you."

Katie laughed, jostled Gwen to her feet and together, they walked towards the training arena. Katie split off halfway there, her destination the strawberry fields, and Gwen continued on her way without incident.

At least until she passed by the tree line, where she was nearly bowled over by Luke.

"Bloody hell," she cursed, as the son of Hermes continued on his way without even a glance over his shoulder. She glared after him, mouth set in an unimpressed scowl. "Sorry, I didn't see you there, dick."

Eager for the day she'd be able to pulverise Luke Castellan with her sword, Gwen reached the training arena, learned from and sparred with Clarisse, and put the son of Hermes out of her mind.

"Archery next," Clarisse observed, "Are you ready for that?"

Gwen grimaced, and admitted to the daughter of Aries that she'd not even thought of it. "I'm so angry with him, anyway, I'd probably be more likely to shoot _him_, the git. Maybe I should skive?"

"And hide where?"

"Touche," Gwen conceded, drained the last of her water, and changed the subject, "Come on, we've got time for one more spar."

Fortunately for all those concerned, Gwen's archery lesson passed without incident. She and Lee were strictly distant with each other, but by the end of it, neither of them were sporting arrows, or hexes, or any physical damage, really. She packed away her borrowed arrows, bow and quiver, drained her drink of water and made to leave towards the training arena, but before she could, Lee's hand coiled around her bicep and Gwen stopped in her tracks, somewhat bewildered.

"Can we talk?"

Gwen gave a noncommittal shrug, expression impassive, but her heart raced and she wondered if Lee could see it.

She hoped not.

"Alright," she agreed, "Talk."

Lee fidgeted in place, Gwen crossed her arms over her chest, and Lee cleared his throat, anxious.

"Spit it out, Fletcher, I don't have all day."

"Right," Lee acknowledged, "I don't do this often, but I wanted to apologise. I was out of line the other day, assuming you didn't care, and insulting you, so for that, I'm sorry."

"Whatever," she grunted, turned on her heel and walked back the way she'd come. She had a session of being pulverised to look forward to.

"Does that mean you forgive me?" Lee called after her.

Gwen glanced over her shoulder, and met Lee's blue eyes with her own. He was stood where she'd left him, a quiver of arrows in one hand, his bow slung over a shoulder, and the other hand tangled in his hair, a nervous tick she'd only just realised he had.

She gave him a smile, expression open, and Lee caught his breath, because with strands of her hair framing her face, and green eyes bright, she was beautiful.

"I guess it does."

**Author's Note:** Distracted by Walking Dead, painfully dull assignments, and the misery that is referencing. Review?

I want to read/write an Avengers/Harry Potter, Hawkeye/fem!Harry story. I tried to write one, failed, but intend to try again. Interested?

Until next time, -t.


	11. Chapter 11

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Eleven:**

When Percy, Annabeth and Grover returned,there were celebrations arranged in their honour. Shrouds were burned, a feast was had and the trio were the centre of it all, with laurel wreaths on their heads, stories to tell, and a little bit more jaded than they had been when they'd left. Gwen hated to see the darkness in their eyes, a veil that hung over them like the sword of Damocles, but all the same, she congratulated them on their successful quest, listened to some of their tales and returned to her friends afterwards, inexplicably weary and undeniably sad.

And strangely, Lee Fletcher could read her like a book. She didn't know how he could, or when it happened, but as he comforted her without being asked, Gwen couldn't bring herself to care. He was just one person, after all, and a particularly intuitive individual at that. It didn't mean _everyone_ could, because if that was the case, she'd have to start knocking some skulls. Gwen Potter could never allow herself to show weakness after all.

"They'll be alright, you know," Lee informed her, easy smile on his face, "They're resilient. They'd have to be, to have gotten this far."

"They shouldn't have to be," Gwen answered bitterly, "They're only twelve."

"We all have to grow up sometime." He nudged her side. "Don't dwell on it, Sparky. We can't change the past."

Gwen didn't answer. Instead, she looked around the campsite, to Chuck and Silena slow dancing to Mick's cover of 'Each Coming Night', to Clarisse and her siblings, currently plotting ways to avenge their father, to Connor and Travis, who were currently bating Katie to their heart's content. Caster and Pollux were in conversation with a few of the other Hephaestus campers, and then there was Percy, in quiet conversation with Luke, while Annabeth blushed away nearby, and Grover admired his new seeker's license.

"Do you want to dance?"

Gwen jerked in surprised and turned to Lee, her eyes wide, his earnest. He had a hopeful smile on his face, his eyes were nervous, and despite herself, Gwen couldn't find it in her to refuse his request and so instead, she smiled.

"Sounds good."

The pair got to their feet and joined Silena and Chuck on the basketball court turned dance floor. Gwen coiled her arms around Lee's neck, the son of Apollo settled his hands at her waist, and together, they swayed along to Mick's cover of Howie Day's 'Collide'.

When Lee began to murmur the lyrics though, loud enough that only she could hear them, Gwen melted a little bit. She was a teenaged girl after all, and no matter her hardass exterior, she always enjoyed a little bit of sappy.

"_Even the best fall down sometimes _

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme _

_And out of the doubt that fills your mind _

_You'll somehow find that you and I collide…_"

Gwen smiled, nestled herself closer to the Apollo cabin counsellor, and rested her head against his chest. He tightened his arms around her, but as the song transitioned into 'God Damn You're Beautiful', and Travis and Katie joined the dance floor, neither of them felt inclined to separate.

Lee settled his hands on her hips, took a step back from her, and met her confused gaze with nervous, but earnest, cerulean eyes. "I want to tell you something, okay?"

Gwen nodded slowly, and it hadn't even occurred to her that they'd both stopped moving, and a great deal of campers were watching them. She would kick herself later for the lack of situational awareness, but for the moment, she was a little bit too rapt up in Lee Fletcher to give a damn.

"I think you're awesome, and I'm kind of crazy about you, and I know it's kind of early, and seriously fast, but I was wondering if you wanted to go with me to the 4th of July fireworks?"

The 4th of July Fireworks, Gwen recalled, was supposedly the most romantic night Camp Halfblood had to offer. Silena and to a lesser extent, Katie, had waxed poetic about it for days, and though Gwen hadn't been particularly interested in it, she'd registered enough to know that being asked to attend them with someone was a huge deal.

More than that though, Lee Fletcher had just asked her out, and Gwen had suddenly forgotten all of the reasons why the prospect was a _bad idea_. So she nodded, strangely bashful, and gave the son of Apollo a smile.

"I'd like that."

Lee grinned, all pearly teeth and bright eyes. "Awesome."

They danced some more, but in a sudden whirlwind, Gwen was wrenched from Lee's arms, frogmarched towards the Aphrodite cabin, and deposited on silena's bed, where she was joined by Katie, Clarisse and Silena herself, all three of whom were eager for an inquisition.

"Alright, Sparky, I want details _now_," Silena declared, "We all _saw_ what went down between you and Lee, but no one _heard_ you two. What happened?"

Gwen rolled her eyes, flopped backwards across her friend's bed and with a sigh of long suffering, she began to explain, in painstaking detail, exactly what happened between the two. Then she left them to absorb all that she'd said and returned to the campsite, where the celebrations were still in full swing.

Connor and Travis were in the middle of some sort of game with Caster and Pollux, Annabeth was in discussion with her siblings, Lee had taken up his guitar and Mick was accompanying him. Chuck was arm wrestling with one of the sons of Aries, Grover was still admiring his new license, and most everyone else was present.

Most everyone, that is, but Luke and Percy.

Gwen swallowed hard, suddenly anxious. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and after everything she'd been through, Gwen had learned to trust her instincts.

Approaching Annabeth, Gwen queried, "Hey, Blondie, where's Shark Boy and Hermit?"

Annabeth blinked, surprised, and queried, "Do you mean Percy and Luke?" Gwen nodded. "They went hunting."

Annabeth gestured over her shoulder, to the looming, obnoxiously dangerous, _forbidden_ forest, and Gwen grimaced her displeasure. Fear welled up in her, for Percy, and after a brief explanation of where she was going, Gwen hurried towards the tree line, still unsure of why she felt as though something was entirely _wrong_ with this situation.

The Hermes cabin counsellor was a dick, yeah, but surely, Luke wouldn't hurt him? He'd basically become Percy's mentor, after all, and so why would he?

"Point me Percius Jackson," Gwen intoned, her wand in her palm. It pointed to north east and Gwen, with one more glance over her shoulder, began a light jog through the trees, afraid of what she'd find within. She maintained her spell though, and before she was really prepared for it, the witch came across Luke, headed back to camp _without_ Percy.

Her dread multiplied tenfold, and she briefly asked herself what she'd gotten herself into. That self-preservation instinct, however, was quickly smothered.

Gwen broke her spell and stared at the Hermes cabin counsellor, wary. He had blood on his fingers, and a decidedly _empty_ expression on his face, and the witch did not like where the evidence was leading.

"Where's Percy, Luke?"

Behind her, towards camp, Gwen heard a series of screams, and she was suddenly caught between a rock and a hard place. Should she return to camp, and her friends, or should she continue on to find Percy, who was most likely wounded?

The answer seemed obvious. Camp would have Chiron and Mr D, and Percy was alone, at least as far as Gwen knew.

"You won't find him," Luke said blankly, "Not in time, anyway."

"What did you _do_ to him, Castellan?" She demanded, temper flaring. Sparks of lightning arced up her bare arms and in the static she exuded, her hair frizzed. Gwen barely noticed, and it seemed as though Luke didn't notice at all.

"Its a mercy," Luke continued, as though he'd not even heard her, "He'll be dead soon enough, anyway. No one wants a child of the Big Three around, after all."

Gwen rolled her eyes, skirted passed the fruitcake and recast her point me spell, uncomfortably aware of just how little time she had. Luke was cracked like a broken mirror, Percy was wounded with gods knew what, and somewhere behind her, trouble had reached Camp Halfblood, and all her friends therein.

There was also the monsters within the forest to consider, none of whom would hesitate to take chunks out of vulnerable demigods, and with that in mind, Gwen quickened her pace, afraid that despite her efforts, she'd be too late. She knew, without really having to think about it, that it was something she'd not be able to deal with. Not when it was sheltered, naive Percy, who was far too young to die, who's life hung in the balance.

As she pushed through the underbrush and into a clearing, the meadow full of hyacinths, and with Percy laid out to die in the centre of it, Gwen prayed that he wasn't already gone. He was lying in a pool of blood though, and there was a dead scorpion thing right next to him, and there might have been something tragically beautiful about the scene, but Gwen was never one for art, and she was a little bit too preoccupied to admire it anyway.

"Percy!"

**Author's Note:** With Gwen in the picture, is Percy going to die?

#review

Until next time, -t.


	12. Chapter 12

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Twelve:**

In the past, Gwen's accidental magic, triggered by desperation, or anger, among other things, had accomplished more than she'd thought possible. Aparation onto her school roof, the overnight growth of her sable hair, the inflation of Marge Dursley, to name a few.

As she knelt by Percy's side, however, and Percy's lifeblood spilt from the slash down his torso, as she tried and failed to quell the bleeding with her own two hands, Gwen had never felt more desperate in her life. She knew no healing spells, she was too deep in the woods to float Percy out, and it would take far too much time to run and get assistance.

She was fast, after all, but not _that_ fast.

The scarlet, viscous blood pulsed between her fingers, hot and sticky, and more red than she'd ever seen, and Gwen closed her eyes, tears streamed down her cheeks, and helplessness had never felt worse.

"I'm sorry, Percy."

In response, her magic welled up deep inside her, the strength of her mother and fathers deep within her skin. She didn't notice it, of course, but it thrummed beneath the surface of incandescent, verdant eyes, swelled in the air like the promise of rain, and with a thunderous crack of air, a flash of light, and the ominous roll of thunder, the pair disappeared.

They reappeared to chaos, and smoke, and the uncomfortable heat of out of control flames. The cabins were on fire, smoke billowed from the windows and the campers were in a panic, but Gwen's focus was on Percy, and the help he so desperately needed.

She got to her feet, unholstered her wand and levitated the runt, the weight of him against her magic almost nothing. She ran through the camp, sought out Chiron all the way, and found him gathering a team, among them Annabeth Chase.

"_There_ you are," Chiron exclaimed, upon sight of her.

"No time," Gwen rasped, hindered by smoke and her sprint, "Percy's hurt. Help him."

Chiron took one glimpse at the floating boy, scooped him up and trotted into the infirmary. Gwen followed, as did Annabeth, Will, MIck and Lee, and Chiron fired questions at her, almost too fast for her to answer.

"What happened? Do you know who did it? Are you hurt?"

"I don't know," Gwen answered, "I couldn't find either of them, Annabeth said they'd gone hunting, and I don't know, I just had a feeling I should go find them. I found Luke first, he had blood on his hands, said I wouldn't find Percy in time. I left him - he was bonkers, you know? - and used my magic to find Percy. He was unconscious, I thought he was already dead, but his pulse was there. I tried to stop the bleeding, but I know squat all about healing, then I don't know, my magic brought me to camp, I guess. Then I found you."

Gwen took a deep, shuddering breath, slumped against a wall, and stared down at her hands. They were still covered in Percy's blood, drying now, the colour of rust and still uncomfortably hot. She wondered if she was just imagining that feeling, that unmistakeable sensation of pulsing blood beneath her fingers, and her stomach rolled. She thought she might heave.

In front of her, though Gwen didn't notice, Chiron and the three sons of Apollo were tending to Percy, speaking rapidly and occasionally chanting in Ancient Greek, Lee with the occasional latin incantation - while Anabeth watched on from a corner, grey eyes, like Gwen's on an overcast day, wide beneath golden lashes. She was scared, frightened beyond belief, really, but as Gwen stared through glazed eyes at the hands so very red with the blood of short, sheltered Percy, her situational awareness was shot to shit.

Vaguely, somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered this fact, and the word 'shock' echoed faintly through her head, but all she could see was the blood - _somuchfuckiingblood_ - and she hadn't known a person carried all of _that_ in their veins.

And so much of it had pulsated between her fingers, a pathetic mimicry of the pulse of the boy's heart, and a sensation she'd never be able to forget.

Gwen closed her eyes and the memory replayed in her mind, the image of percy in a field of hyacinths, and she wondered hysterically if she'd ever be able to look at the flower again, stained with blood, and the imprint of Poseidon's son.

Much like her own hands.

It was a terrible irony.

"Come on, Gwen," Silena Beauregard coaxed, her hand at Gwen's elbow. It was a familiar touch, and Gwen let the daughter of Aphrodite lead her, "Let's go clean you up, hmm?"

The daughter of Zeus came to to the sound of Silena blabbering nonsensically about Beckendorf, and Gwen blinked dazedly, confused. There was a mirror in front of her, and tear tracks down her cheeks, and Silena was cleaning Gwen's hands, the water in the sink a discomforting shade of red. They were in a bathroom, somewhat cramped, but enough to do the job.

"I need a fucking drink," Gwen declared, voice raspy. From the smoke, she assumed, but her recollections weren't clear. Shock, she recalled, and the witch grimaced to herself, unimpressed.

She _despised_ weakness.

"Yeah," Silena agreed ruefully, "I don't blame you. Could use one myself, really. Its been a long night."

"What the fuck happened at camp? Rocked up, and the joint was on fire."

"Alabaster Torrington," Silena replied, tone grim, "Dick set the place on fire and went running for the hills. Luke's gone too. Can't believe this has happened. I mean, there are the dreams, but, damn."

"You too, huh? Thought it was just me."

Silena shook her head. "Everyone, I think. No one's really talking though. Shit's going down though, we know that much. And things have gone to shit around here, too. The Hermes cabin, man, I'd hate to be in _there_ tonight."

"And Percy?"

"He's been poisoned, on top of that slash that practically _cut him in half_," Silena answered, "They think he'll pull through though. Annabeth suggested water, which seemed to work a miracle. Guess it makes sense, P's prodginy, and all."

"Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah," Silena confirmed, "I think they just wanted to scare the camp. Except for Percy, anyway. I'm surprised they didn't go after you, really."

Gwen shrugged, and sort of wished they had. She'd have copped it, for Percy's sake. At least once she'd hexed the assholes six ways from Sunday.

She'd never liked Luke Castellan or Alabaster Torrington.

"Wankers. Probably knew I'd kick their asses before I let them close enough to hurt me. Pricks. He's fucking _twelve_."

With a hum of acknowledgement, Silena rinsed off Gwen's hands, the witch dried them off with the offered towel, and they stepped back into the infirmary to find that they'd finished up with Percy. Chiron was in quiet conversation with Mr D by the door, Will and Annabeth were playing a game of 'Go Fish' over Percy's legs, and Lee was by the bathroom door, apparently waiting for them. Mick had disappeared out of sight, and Gwen supposed he'd gone to bed. Gwen wished she could too, because maybe in the morning, it would turn out that the greater majority of this night had just been an absolutely awful nightmare.

But then there was Lee, and she couldn't really forget the fact that he'd asked her out tonight.

"You alright?" Lee queried, gaze on Gwen, but question directed at the both of them.

Silena grunted, yawned and left with a murmured goodnight over her shoulder. It was returned in kind, and the lingering pair watched her go, silent.

"I'm fine," Gwen replied, "You?"

Lee looked unconvinced, but he didn't push the issue. "Fine. Chiron says you're spending the night in here. He's, ah, worried about an attack on you."

Gwen, frankly too tired to protest, trudged over to the nearest bed, flopped ungracefully on top of the covers and turned weary, heavy lidded eyes on the son of Apollo by her bedside. He explained without her having to ask.

"Will and I are monitoring Percy throughout the night. Mick and Austen will take the morning."

Gwen nodded, didn't bother to protest when Lee settled in the chair by her bed, and instead closed her eyes, exhausted. When she slept, it was a rest blessedly free of dreams. In the days and nights to come though, she doubted it would last.

**Author's Note:** Do the page breaks show up?

Hell guys, the Avengers/Harry Potter fandom has a massive following.

Thanks for reading. Leave a review? Until next time, -t.


	13. Chapter 13

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Thirteen:**

In the aftermath of the attack on camp and on Percy, Camp Halfblood's inhabitants were indisputably, irrevocably changed. There was a heaviness to everything that was said and done, a resolve in their training, and a grim determination in the set of every expression she saw. Occasions of frivolity were few and far between, and the heroes' high spirits had faded away like the tones of an old photograph.

Luke and Alabaster's defection had shaken them all to the core, and Gwen wondered if it was possible to recover from a betrayal like that. Was this how Sirius, James and Remus had felt when Peter had led the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Jr. to her family's door? Gwen didn't know, but even as she was effected by the bite of traitors, she hoped not.

It stung something fierce.

And that came from someone who didn't even _like_ the assholes.

Brought from her thoughts as Percy stirred in his bed, Gwen sat up, shut the book she'd not been reading, and watched, vaguely creeper like, as the son of Poseidon slowly came to. She offered him a glass of nectar as he did so, he sipped at it mechanically, and blinked bleary turquoise eyes in Gwen's direction. He was probably wondering about her presence there, but in truth, she'd been wondering the same thing: what the hell was she doing?

"Wotcher," she greeted, "About time you returned to the land of the living."

"How long have I been out?" Percy rasped.

Gwen's expression was bland, tone dry. "You've been out for three days."

Percy repeated the words to himself, gaze squinted, and thoughts likely on how the hell he'd managed to stay unconscious for that long. Mind you, much of that time had been spent with the sons of Apollo ensuring that the great big slash that might as well have cut him in half, and the poison from the pit scorpion, wouldn't kill him, but unsurprisingly, Percy didn't know those minute details.

Not yet, anyway.

"What happened?"

"Luke tried to kill you," Gwen answered succinctly, "And Alabaster Torrington burned down half the camp. Afterwards, they both legged it. Connor and Travis are now the counsellors for the Hermes cabin, and the greater majority of the camp are out for blood."

Percy looked nonplused, but Gwen supposed it was a bitter pill to swallow. Luke had been the runt's mentor for a brief time, and it probably stung something nasty to know that the bloke had tried to kill him. Gwen was just irked that she'd not seen it coming, and had promised herself in the sleepless nights since that it would not be a mistake she'd repeat.

"What happens now?" Percy queried.

"Life goes on as normal," Gwen answered, and she genuinely tried to be lighthearted about it, "We train, we live, and when the right day comes, we make sure Luke Castellan knows he never should have messed with you."

"I like how you've just sort of involved yourself without really asking anyone else's opinion," Percy informed her, sardonic grin on his face and Gwen shrugged, shameless.

"He hurt my own. It won't happen again."

And that, Gwen was pretty sure, was the crux of it all. Like Lee, Silena, and the others, Percy Jackson had somehow wormed his way beneath her skin, and seemed pretty damn intent on staying there. As such, she had every intention of offering Luke Castellan his just desserts.

No one _ever_ hurt one of hers.

Percy gave an appreciative smile, but before their conversation could progress, the infirmary door opened, and Annabeth entered, arms crossed over her developing chest. Gwen rolled her eyes, still irritated by the blonde's refusal to accept that Luke had defected, and with a brief farewell to the son of Poseidon, she departed, uninterested in observing the encounter between the two friends. A part of Gwen hoped Percy would give the daughter of Athena a much needed reality check, but Percy was the passive sort, and so it was likely that the blonde girl would continue on her denial train.

It was perhaps malicious of her, but Gwen looked forward to the day reality would relentlessly slap the girl across the face. Gwen hadn't known her before Percy's most recent near death experience, but in the few days since, constant exposure to the blonde, and her holier than thou attitude, had soured Gwen's perceptions, and the less time Gwen spent with Annabeth, the better for all involved.

At the open door to Chiron's office, Gwen pause, unsurprised to find the centaur and Mr D pouring over papers as though the written language was going out of style. Most of their time in the last few days, when not overseeing meals, and resolving disputes between campers, was spent in one or the other's office, sorting out arrangements to ensure that Camp Halfblood recovered from Luke and Alabaster's night of arson and grievous assault, respectively.

She knocked briefly, garnered both god and centaur's attention, and managed an approximation of a smile that wasn't.

"Just thought I'd let you know that Shark Boy's awake."

"Thank you, Gwen," Chiron acknowledged, but they both returned to their paperwork directly afterwards.

Gwen left them to it, retreated out of the big house, and took a moment to cast her gaze over the view that Camp Halfblood provided. It was sensational, really, timeless in its architecture, a place where the sky met the earth and sea. She wasn't one for art or architecture, but she thought the view was one she could never grow tired of.

"Its pretty spectacular, isn't it?"

"It is," she agreed, and smiled at Lee. He was one of the few people that still heralded such an expression, and the idealism of it all should have made her sick. "What are you doing here?"

The son of Apollo thumbed over his shoulder towards the infirmary, "My monitoring spells told me that Plankton was awake. Thought I should make sure he's not somehow managed to cut himself open again."

"You know Plankton was the evil villain?"

"Whatever," he answered, flippant, reached up, and brushed a callused thumb over her cheekbone.

It made her breath hitch.

"Are you sleeping at all?"

Gwen contemplated lying. She wasn't fond of admitting weakness, and Lee Fletcher was probably her greatest weakness of all. Blending those seemed like a recipe for disaster, but his cerulean eyes were earnest, his expression was concerned, and she couldn't bring herself to blatantly fib in his face.

So she diverted.

"Are you?"

Lee didn't drop his hand from her face. The heat of his palm seemed to burn right through her skin, to leave an impression deep within her that would never fade. They stared at each other though, defiant and challenging, a stalemate neither were willing to lose. They were both stubborn individuals, Gwen more so than Lee, but eventually, the son of Apollo's priorities took precedent, and he dropped his hand with a reluctant sigh.

"This conversation is _not_ over, Sparky, but I unfortunately have a patient to attend to."

"Better get to him," she acknowledged, "But fair warning, you might have to pry Blondie off him."

He chuckled, low and sensual, and Gwen felt it to her toes. "I'll keep that in mind. See you later, Sparky."

Gwen watch him until he'd disappeared behind a turn in the house's hallway, and then she retreated towards the cabins, unsure of where to go from there. It was a Saturday,and that meant recreational time all day, but as the Hephaestus campers matched off against a few of the Hermes boys in a game of basketball, and the Aphrodite girls indulged in the lake, Gwen couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to join any of her friends.

Eventually, she wound up at the base of Thalia's tree, writing letters against a slate propped on her thighs. That didn't occupy her for long though, because the letter stream had slowed, and she'd only had a few letters to write before her mind was free to wander, to Neville, to Percy, to the trouble brewing on either side of the Atlantic. Instinct told her that both boys would be smack in the centre of everything, and she wondered drearily if they would be able to do what they needed to.

"I feel like there should be a storm cloud over your head, the way you're brooding," Katie observed. She paused thoughtfully. "Heh. That would be rather fitting."

Gwen eyed her, unimpressed. "Are you trying to be funny?"

Katie shrugged nonchalantly, settled beside Gwen, and cast her gaze across the camp. She pulled her knees to her chest, propped her chin on her knees,and hugged her legs close, but her brown eyes remained on the camp, and Gwen wondered what she saw.

Did she see warriors training for the unknown? Did she see kids far out of their depths? Maybe she saw young men and women forced to grow up too fast.

"What's up, Katie?" Gwen queried.

Katie shrugged. "Just wanted to make sure you're alright. Its been a hectic few days."

Gwen huffed her agreement, brushed flyaway strands of her hair out of her face, and shrugged. "I'm fine."

Katie eyed her, unconvinced. Gwen grimaced her displeasure, asked herself when she'd become so transparent, and shook her head. She had no interest in pursuing the subject, not with lee, not with Katie, not with anyone, not now and not ever.

"Seriously, Katie, just drop it, okay?"

The girl huffed but relented, Gwen packed her satchel, and they both returned to the cabins in silence. The daughter of Demeter joined her siblings, Gwen settled on the porch of her own cabin, and she watched, inexplicably lonely, as the various campers spent time with their cabin mates. The attack seemed to have brought the cabins closer as family, and Gwen was more conscious of the fact that she was the only child of Zeus alive.

Again, Gwen Potter was alone.

Maybe it was better that way.

Then she caught sight of Lee Fletcher, sans t-shirt in the summer sun, and then she remembered that, no, loneliness wasn't worth it at all. It never would be.

**Author's Note:** I've become weirdly good at writing slow-moving romance. Considering my own experiences, this is strange. Meh.

Whew guys, I have four assessment pieces left of my second year at university. Two of them are due on Monday, the other two are exams, and I want to hate my sister because all she has left are exams, that bitch.

Anyway, leave a review. Thanks for reading. Until next time, -t.


	14. Chapter 14

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Fourteen:**

Sirius arrived at Camp Halfblood on the 30th of June. His trip to Manhattan had been postponed several days due to some changes in the Wizengamot, and the drama at camp had made off-ground visits rather difficult, but as Gwen watched her godfather take in the sight of her summer camp, a nostalgic smile on his face, Gwen frowned to herself, confused by the sight.

Had he been here before?

If so, why had he never told her?

"Sirius," she greeted. Her godfather turned to her, his smile turned awkward, and the man raised his arms, unsure if a hug would be welcome. They'd never been particularly close, but all the same, Gwen relented with a roll of her eyes, but when she stepped back, she scrutinised her godfather's face, in search of something, but ensure of what.

She found it in the stormy grey of his eyes, so very like hers on an overcast day and she rocked backwards, lost for words, and astounded beyond belief.

"You're a son of Athena," she declared with a certainty that should have surprised her. Except it didn't, and she continued, "You've been here before."

Sirius' smile was self-deprecating. "I should have known you'd have figured it out before I could tell you. You're too smart for your own good. There's a reason why Walburga despised me, and it had _nothing_ to do with my 'blood traitor' ideals."

Sirius cast his gaze over the landscape once again, and his smile turned wistful. "Your dad and I had some great memories here."

Unsure of what to think about that notion, and certain to push it out of her mind for the time being, Gwen led the way to the big house, where they were greeted warmly by Chiron and begrudgingly by Mr D, both of whom recognised Sirius as a former camper, and a particularly hellish one at that.

Apparently, his mischievous tendencies didn't end at Hogwarts.

.

Gwen wondered what they thought of the man he'd become, but she didn't ask. For one, Gwen doubted she'd receive a straight answer and for another, she was still trying to wrap her head around the concept that her godfather and father were both demigods.

Sirius took the opportunity to sign in as a visitor to camp. He made idle chit chat with the old centaur for a while, as Mr D coaxed Gwen into a game of pinochle, but eventually, the two demigods excused themselves, and began a slow, meandering walk around the grounds.

"You're a demigod?"

"Yes," Sirius confirmed, "As is your dad, James, and your mother, Lily. James is a son of Athena as well, but Lily is a daughter of Hecate. it shows in your eyes."

Gwen mulled over that unexpected revelation for a time. Her eyes had always been different, blue and green and grey, or a combination of all three, dependent on the weather, and an oddity no one had ever been able to deny.

"What does that mean for me?" Gwen queried.

"Not much," Sirius answered, "You're a legacy of Athena and Hecate, which means you'll have a slightly enhanced affinity for one or more of their skills, but not to the same extent as you would for your divine father's domain, or that of an actual child of either goddess. Case in point: your relationship with Hedwig. You can't talk to her, but you two understand each other, do you not?"

Gwen nodded her understanding and for a time, they walked on in silence. The naiads fooled around in the water, watched over by Percy, and the tree nymphs frolicked around in the gardens. it might have been idyllic, but the Aries children were in the middle of a free for all at the training arena, and the Apollo children were training at the archery fields. Gwen's thoughts were on the revelations she'd just received however, but her godfather pulled the witch from her reverie because apparently he had more to say.

Gwen wondered sardonically if she wanted to hear it.

"I wouldn't dwell on it, Gwen. In the Greek community, legacies aren't that big of a deal, and you won't suddenly be able to lay tormented spirits to rest."

"How comforting," she deadpanned.

Sirius cracked a small, fleeting smile and not for the first time, Gwen struggled to associate this man with the jovial, happy go lucky man from her photographs, and the stories Remus often told her of the Marauders' past. According to the lycanthrope though, James' incapacitation had effected Sirius more than Gwen would ever know, and Sirius Orion Black was a far cry from the man he'd once been. People changed though, and life went on, and that was just how things would always be.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She queried, and despite herself, Gwen couldn't suppress the tone of hurt in her voice.

"The same reason I never told you that you had another father," Sirius answered, "Your own safety, Gwen. If I had, the monsters would have been all over you like white on rice. I couldn't, and wouldn't, let that happen. Not for anything."

"Because you made a promise to my dad," she acknowledged, and again, she couldn't quite suppress the bitterness in her tone.

What the hell was Camp Halfblood doing to her? She'd not been so vulnerable in a long time. It was a change she did not appreciate.

"Because I made a promise to _you_," Sirius corrected. He stopped in his tracks, stopped Gwen as well, rested a steady hand on her shoulders, and met Gwen's turbulent gaze with an earnest one of his own. "The day your dad put you in my arms, I promised I'd protect you until the day i died. I love you Gwen, as if you were my own child. Every decision I've ever made concerning you, was with your wellbeing in mind. Don't ever doubt that."

Once again lost for words, and unable to speak for the lump of unidentifiable _something_ lodged in her throat besides, Gwen only nodded, and their stroll continued towards the strawberry fields. Sirius began to retell little anecdotes about he and her parents' time at Camp Halfblood, and Gwen soaked it all up like a sponge, eager for this brief glimpse of the man Gwen had realised, quite suddenly, she didn't really know at all.

The revelation was discomforting, and Gwen had to wonder about what other misperceptions she'd made over the years. She supposed she was woman enough to admit she was wrong, but as the pair came to a stop at the Zeus cabin porch, settled on the sun-warmed steps and looked out towards the grounds, Gwen admitted to herself that she'd probably never announce it out loud. She had too much pride for that.

"Tell me about your time here?" Sirius requested.

Gwen grimaced her reluctance, but she did as asked and spoke of her experiences in Long Island thus far, omitting her involvement with the assortment of prohibited activities the camp had to offer. She spoke of her new friends, Silena, Katie and Clarisse, Chuck and Michael, Connor and Travis, Caster and Pollux, Lee and to a lesser extent, Percy, of her affinity for twin daggers and her misadventures in archery. She spoke of how Lee was teaching her the guitar, and how Chiron had taken to teaching her to manipulate the Mist in lieu of the Ancient Greek lessons she didn't need.

Finally, she spoke about the defection of Luke and Alabaster, and admitted the betrayal she'd felt despite the fact that she'd not cared for either. She told him about how it felt as though she _still_ had Percy's blood beneath her nails, despite the fact that she'd scrubbed her skin raw at the first opportunity she could, how every night, she dreamt that she'd been too late, and Percy had died with his blood between her fingers. She spoke for what felt like ages, and by the time she was done, Sirius had conjured them each a glass of water and had wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders.

"It's been a busy month, then," Sirius concluded, and Gwen's responding smile was weary, tinged with a bitterness out of place on adolescent features. It saddened Sirius to see it, but Gwen didn't notice.

"Yeah," she agreed, "It has been. Anyway, what's been going on in Britain? The '_Daily Prophet_' is as useless as ever."

Sirius gave a heavy sigh, and began to speak slowly. Evidently, Dumbledore had reassembled a vigilante organisation known as the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort had gone underground, and most of the movements on either side involved recruitment, intelligence and preparation.

There had been no deaths, no disappearances, no attacks, and Gwen was unsure of whether or not she should feel comforted, or disturbed. She'd learned to expect the unexpected, but this calm before the storm, if you will, was disconcerting.

She'd never been the patient sort.

"He wants something in the Department of Mysteries," Sirius explained, "A 'weapon'. A prophecy orb, actually. Dumbledore has some of his people guarding it."

Gwen arched a skeptical eyebrow. "He's that superstitious?"

"It apparently predicts his downfall," Sirius answered glibly. "And of course, you know to keep that quiet." His gaze was stern, unfaltering, and Gwen held it with a steady gaze of her own.

"Of course," she agreed solemnly, brushed stray strands out of her eyes, and asked about Sirius' family.

The man had married his wife, Celeste, seven years ago, and they now had three year old twin girls, Vega and Virgo and an infant son, Leo. In summers past, Gwen herself had been stuck with babysitting duty more often than she cared to admit, because Celeste was insistent that her children not be raised by house elves, and Sirius was wise enough to choose his battles. Whatever the case, the two Black daughters had taken a shining to Gwen that was not at all reciprocated, but as Sirius began to catch Gwen up on the anecdotes of his three children, Gwen couldn't deny the fond smile on her face if she tried.

"They miss you," Sirius informed her, "When they found out I would be visiting you, they practically _begged_ to come with me."

"Glad you didn't give in," Gwen answered, "They make me barmy."

Sirius' responding laugh was reminiscent of a dog's bark, but as he opened his mouth to reply, the lunch conch horn sounded and he got to his feet, surprisingly enthusiastic.

"The only place I get Greek food better than Camp Halfblood's is in Greece. Let's go, Gwen. Do you _know_ how long its been since I've had a good Greek yoghurt? You can introduce me to your new friends, too. Especially that son of Apollo you seem so fond of."

"Just what I always wanted," she deadpanned."Please don't embarrass me. Especially not in front of Lee."

Sirius chuckled heartily, once more slung an arm over her shoulders, and replied, "I'll do my best, but fair warning, it's my prerogative as your godfather to scare off any blokes who come calling."

And naturally, Gwen was not comforted in the slightest.

**Author's Note:** The legacy of Athena and Hecate has been planned since the first chapter. Note two chapters earlier, and the comparison of Annabeth and Gwen's eye colouring, as well as the comparison between Alabaster's and Gwen's in one of the earlier chapters. Four, I think. Maybe three.

It won't play a particularly pivotal role in the story, or even in the prospective sequel(s), but I like to think of it as world and character building.

Thanks for reading, I hope you've enjoyed. Until next time, -t.


	15. Chapter 15

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter Fifteen:**

In all honesty, Gwen didn't care for the 4th of July. She wasn't particularly patriotic in general, let alone for a country she'd never stepped foot in until a month earlier, so she proceeded with her usual morning routine while the campers, excepting the Apollo and Demeter cabins, took advantage of the holiday to sleep in. Afterwards though, she took care to look her best for the day, her first date with Lee, even though it wasn't technically until the fireworks that evening.

The witch dressed in an emerald green sundress, straightened her hair and applied a light layer of mascara and eyeliner. She donned a pair of brown suede ballet flats and coated her lips with clear, cherry flavoured lipgloss, and by the time the daughter of Zeus was done, she came to the conclusion that she'd not looked so feminine since she'd had to dress up for the Yule Ball over the winter holidays passed.

Most of the time, she just couldn't be bothered with that kind of effort, but as she scrutinised herself in the mirror, Gwen conceded to the truth that special occasions called only for a special kind of dedication.

"You look great," said Silena, "Not too casual, but not overdone either."

"Thanks," Gwen acknowledged, "Can we go though? I'm _hungry_.

Silena laughed, but relented, and Gwen was grateful."

At the dining pavilion, Gwen was intercepted on her way to the dining pavilion by Lee, who'd dressed simply in jeans and a pale blue button down, but his eyes seemed entranced on her form, and he held a pink long stemmed rose between his thin, dexterous fingers.

She didn't know what to appreciate more.

"Gwen, you look lovely," Lee greeted, and offered her the flower. "I had to bribe Katie for it, but I hope you like it."

She accepted it with a gracious smile and thanked him quietly. "And you look rather handsome yourself."

let it not be said that Gwen didn't know how to be coy. She'd been taught to be a Lady, after all, and as unladylike as she acted sometimes, she could also play the consummate heiress with the best of them.

Which was exactly why she knew what Lee was saying with the single pink rose.

The gesture was a welcome one.

"I'll leave you to your breakfast," Lee excused, "I'm looking forward to tonight."

"As am I," Gwen agreed, "And thank you, again."

"Anytime."

Gwen walked towards her table, with Lee's eyes on her back, and it took all of Gwen's will power not to meet Silena's gaze where she was already seated with her siblings. They'd be talking about she and Lee's exchange later, Gwen knew, but for now, she'd savour in the moment on her own.

Evening arrived and with it, another singalong by the campfire. Lee was performing again, but this time, Mick was accompanying him on the cello, and Lee's gaze was on Gwen. She didn't know the artist, nor did she know the song, but the lyrics made her heart race, and not for the first time, the daughter of Zeus thought she could stare at Lee Fletcher's eyes forever. They were like the night sky, expressing so much, and they took her breath away.

"_I can't find the words to explain_

_Just how much you've got me going insane_

_When you speak to me, sometimes we fight_

_Oh, I stutter my words, and say never mind…_"

The song continued, and Silena swooned at the chorus. She wasn't the only one, but Gwen's face was flushed, and the witch wondered how one boy - a man, really - could ruin her so completely.

Then she remembered Sirius' words, and Gwen was comforted. 'One day, Gwen, you'll meet someone, and you'll let them into your heart. That person will hurt you, because people will always hurt you in the end, but you have to decide if they're worth suffering for.' Grey eyes had shone with the wisdom Sirius' mother was renowned for. 'And just remember, love, that it's okay to be weak.'

"_Coz I get weak in the knees_

_Fall head over heels, baby _

_And every other cheesy cliche _

_Oh, I'm swept off my feet_

_Oh, my heart skips a beat _

_But there's really only one thing to say _

_Goddamn you're beautiful to me…"_

_After the song, as the campers applauded, as some girls swooned or sighed wistfully, as the boys jeered and taunted, as Lee ignored them all, Katie shoved Gwen forward, the witch stumbled, and quite spectacularly, Lee caught her._

_A bit like a cheesy cliche, if you would._

_The thought made her smile._

_He smiled down at her, ruffled his hair nervously, and without adieu, Gwen reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed a kiss to the son of Apollo's lips, slightly chapped, but welcome all the same. His hands tightened possessively at her hips, he pulled her impossibly closer against him, and as they kissed, neither cared for the thoroughly entertained audience around them._

_At least until they were mercilessly showered in a spray of water, courtesy of Mr D, who gave them a scathing comment about controlling themselves, grumbled under his breath about pains in his ass, and stalked away, presumably to get away from the campers. Gwen didn't care really, a drying spell from both of them remedied the issue, and Gwen had worn waterproof makeup for years, but as Lee led the way to the lake, his fingers linked between hers, and their friends chattering enthusiastically all around, she wondered how far she'd have been willing to take that._

_Her attention was diverted by the fireworks, and as they rocketed into the sky, comparable only to the Weasley twins' magical equivalents, Gwen could understand the awe that washed over the demigods. _

_It made her smile, this moment of peace, and with Lee's arm slung over her shoulder, the warmth of his embrace a soothing comfort against the night time chill, there was no where else she would rather be. She was a very different girl from the one who'd arrived at Camp Halfblood a month earlier, having grown and experienced and observed in that time, but as her new friends chattered between themselves, with the occasional jest sent in Gwen and Lee's direction, the daughter of Zeus wouldn't change herself. Not again, and most certainly not for anything in the world._

_**Author's Note:**__ An anti-climactic ending, but as I wrote the chapter before this one, I knew I was only dragging it out. An epilogue to go, but that will probably take a week or so. Thanks for reading, leave a review. -t._


	16. Epilogue

**There's Nothing Sweeter **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Harry Potter' or 'Percy Jackson'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Epilogue:**

The best summer of her life began and ended with Lee Fletcher.

"I guess this is goodbye," she said, and tried to smile. Gwen thought she'd sooner cry.

Lee nodded his agreement, and shoved his hands into the pockets of his faded blue jeans. "I guess so."

There was no reason for her to linger. They'd said all that had needed to be said, and then some, her port key was waiting, and this didn't need to be dragged out.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to leave.

"We'll… stay in touch, yeah?" Lee queried. he looked hesitant, as though the prospect would be unwelcome. They'd been friends first though, lovers later, and their friendship could recover from this.

She'd make sure of it.

"Of course."

Gwen took hold of the blue ribbon turned port key, gave her friend, gave Lee, a sad smile, and uttered the activation phrase. As she did so, Lee gave her a small, halfhearted smile, and a raised hand - a wave.

She disappeared in a blur of colour and muted sound directly afterwards, but as the port key pulled her home, Gwen smiled, because she knew that all would be well.

**Author's Note:** The End.

Thanks for all your support. It's appreciated very much.

-t.


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